The New Dead
by The Reading Dead
Summary: Elise Bryant is a new forensic investigator in Georgia when the outbreak happens. She may have escaped her past, but the new type of dead is a different challenge. She reunites with the officer she's worked with, but can she work with a sarcastic redneck in order to survive? And are two different types of intelligence really all that different? DarylOC
1. Chapter 1

**Hi, anyone who is reading this! It has been a very long time since I've wrote fanfiction. This is also the first time I've published a possible series to this site, and my first time writing for The Walking Dead. So, I'm still figuring out how to use this site even though I read stories on here all the time. **

**However, I do need any possible from any readers. I'm not too sure which point of view I want to write this story in: first person or third person. As a result, I wrote the first chapter, which quickly introduces the OC character, in both perspectives. If possible, please let me know which you prefer. I keep going back and forth between the two. There are pros and cons to both sides. Any feedback is greatly appreciated. :)**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own anything pertaining to The Walking Dead. If I did, I would not be writing this story.**

**First Person Point of View**

The southern heat never showed mercy for people in the summer, and it was extremely true in Georgia. The sweltering heat could quickly take out the weak, but, sadly, it did not stop the vile people from adding to the body count. Then again, if that happened, I would be out of a job.

Forensic investigation, crime scene investigation, or whatever other synonyms exist requires at least one psycho and one victim. If only there was a way I could just go after the crazies with no one else getting hurt.

I ducked under the vivid crime scene tape as I entered the small home. Pulling my short, spiral curls into a ponytail, I searched for Officer Walsh. He was the one to give me a tour of the departments, and I also worked with him on my first case.

"You must be Elise Bryant."

I turned around to face an older man. Despite his age, his Georgia tan had not disappeared with his hair.  
"Yes, that's me," I responded as I shook his hand.

"I'm detective Ryan Jones, the main detective here. Well, at least for a few more months or so. I'm on the countdown to retirement. Anyway, everyone just calls me Jones."

"It's nice to meet you, Jones. I guess Officer Walsh has the day off?"

Jones dismissed my formalities. "You survived your first case, so you've earned the first name basis. Yeah, he has the day off. His partner and best friend was shot last week. The man, Rick Grimes, is in a coma. Shane plans on visiting him sometime today. As you can imagine, he is taking it pretty hard."

My heart dropped a bit at the news. Even though I had not yet met Officer Grimes, I still hated to hear such news about officers and others who aid in protecting people. Sadly, it was an everyday risk on the job. "I heard an officer was shot, but I didn't get any other details."

"Nothing for you to worry about. Rick is strong man, and I think he'll pull through. Anyway, I understand you were working with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation before taking the job here?"

"Yeah. After graduating from the University of Tennessee, I slowly made my way through the ranks."

"What made you want to take the job here? Don't take it the wrong way or anything, I know you'll be a big help here and with the surrounding counties, but working with the TBI is a pretty big gig."

I smiled to let him know I wasn't offended by his question. "I don't have anything tying me down to my home state, and I was eager for a change. When I heard about the job offer, I knew it was time to close my chapter in Tennessee. Actually, a different metaphor fits better. I want a whole new life story."

Jones studied my face intently, and he decided to not ask any more about it. I was grateful for that. There's no need for me to feel haunted by one of my past cases when I am about to start a new life story.

"Now, we have some work to do," he suddenly stated. "Well, you have the worst part of it if you ask me. You're the gross, scientific side; I'm the boring law side."

I chuckled at his comment as we made our way to the kitchen. "From what I heard on the way over here, the victim in this case may make you even happier that you're retiring soon."

We stepped into the large kitchen. The female victim was sprawled out in front of the open sliding glass door.

"What the hell," Jones whispered. I believed it was safe to guess this case may be a standout for his career.

The victim's left side was partially ripped open, exposing the top half of her ribs. Dried blood tainted her ivory bones, and darkened her pink shirt. Upon closer inspection, I could see part of the woman's heart against her ribs. Her jeans were soaked with blood, and her right thigh had a gaping hole. A variety of other wounds plagued the woman's body, including deep scratches on her neck. Although the victim had not been dead for too long, insects had already made their way through the open sliding glass door for a feast.

"I guess the killer didn't want to try to neatly fillet her. Instead, the killer went for chunks," I commented after my initial look at the body.

Jones quickly glanced over at me. "You're one of those with a sense of humor aren't you?"

"Perhaps."

"It looks like some sort of animal tried to make a meal out of her after the killer took a chunk or two from her."

I studied the wound near the heart while I shook my head in response. "No. I don't think animals were involved. If so, there would be less of her here. However, that is not my department. The coroner has say over that. With the state the body is in at the moment, I don't want to disturb her too much before the coroner arrives."

I picked up the Nikon camera which was hanging around my neck to begin taking initial photos of the crime scene and body. I felt Jones's eyes on me as I set out to do my work. After snapping some photographs of the blood splatter on the wall beside the sliding glass door, I pointed it out to Jones.

"The blood splatter lines up fairly well with her wounds. It looks like she may have been against the wall. It doesn't look like she fought too much against her attacker for some reason."

As I resumed taking pictures, Jones kneeled down next to the victim's head. He studied the scratches and blood that speckled her face. I kneeled down on the other side of the victim in order to take photos of her hand before checking for defense wounds, or, hopefully, some clues beneath her long nails. As I zoomed in on her hand, I noticed her fingers slowly twitch. The only time a dead body moved on its own, from my experience, was if the person's arm fell off of her stomach or something like that. Gravity at play. Twitching, however, was a completely different story. It was impossible with a body in this shape, especially with the process of rigor mortis.

I lowered my camera as the fingers twitched again. "How is that possible?"

Before Jones could offer his opinion or try his hand at morbid humor, the victim's other hand flew to the back of Jones's head. She pulled his head down to her level as she lifted her decaying face to the crook of his neck. It happened rapidly, and there was no time for Jones or me to react. He could only scream in pain as she _bit_ into the crook of his neck. I screamed for the officers guarding the front entrance. I couldn't move to help Jones because I had no idea what was happening or what I could do. I can handle seeing decapitated bodies and burned bodies, but what was happening now was impossible.

The two officers ran in and froze on the spot. A completely normal reaction for seeing something that was completely abnormal and horrific. I didn't realize it at the time, but I was yelling and crying out Jones's name. The victim, or whatever she was, seemed to not hear my pleas as she bit into Jones's shoulder with a low growl. One of the officers pulled me to my feet, and shoved me to the main entrance. The remaining officer did the only thing he could do. He unloaded an entire clip into _that thing_. She finally stopped moving after a bullet surged through her forehead.

**Third Person Point of View**

The southern heat never showed mercy for people in the summer, and it was very true in Georgia. The sweltering heat could quickly take out the weak, but, sadly, it did not stop the vile people from adding to the body count.

Forensic investigator Elise Bryant ducked under the vivid crime scene tape as she entered the small home. Pulling her short, spiral curls into a ponytail, she searched for the officer who gave her a tour of the departments. She also worked with him on her first case in Georgia.

_Where's Officer Walsh?_ She wondered.

Although she was a southern woman, Georgia was not her home state. She was from Tennessee, and she earned her degree from the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. After working in Tennessee since she graduated, she was offered the opportunity to work in Georgia. With nothing tying her down in her home state, she was eager for a change. It was the perfect time to close her chapter in Tennessee. In her case, she wanted a whole new life story instead of a new chapter. She wanted to escape the haunting of one of her last cases in Tennessee. Perhaps the great state of Georgia could help with that.

"You must be Elise."

She turned around to face an older man. Despite his age, his Georgia tan did not disappear with his hair.

"Yes, that's me," she responded as she shook his hand.

"I'm detective Ryan Jones, the main detective here. Well, at least for a few more months or so. I'm on the countdown to retirement. Anyway, everyone just calls me Jones."

"It's nice to meet you, Jones. I guess Officer Walsh has the day off?"

Jones dismissed her formalities. "You survived your first case, so you've earned the first name basis. Yeah, he has the day off. His partner and best friend was shot last week. The man, Rick Grimes, is in a coma. Shane will be visiting him sometime today. As you can imagine, he is taking it pretty hard."

Elise's heart sunk a bit at the news. Even though she had not yet met the officer, she still hated to hear news about officers getting hurt, or worse, on the job. It was always disheartening to hear about bad things happening officers who only want to protect people. Sadly, it was an everyday risk on the job. "I heard an officer was shot, but I didn't get any other details."

"Nothing for you to worry about. Rick is a strong man, and I believe he will pull through. Now, we have some work to do. Well, you have the worst part of it if you ask me. You're the gross, scientific side; I'm the boring law side."

Elise chuckled at Jones's comment as she led him to the open kitchen. "From what I heard on the way over here, the victim in this case may make you even happier you're retiring soon."

The two stepped into the large kitchen. The female victim was sprawled out in front of the open sliding glass door.

"What the hell," Jones whispered. Elise believed it was safe to guess that this case would be a stand out for his career.

The victim's left side was partially ripped open, exposing the top half of her ribs. Dried blood tainted her ivory bones. Upon closer inspection, Elise could see part of the woman's heart against her ribs. Her jeans were soaked with blood, and her right leg had a gapping hole in her thigh. A variety of other wounds plagued the woman's body, including deep scratches on her neck. Although the victim had not been dead for too long, insects had already made their way in from the open door.

"I guess the killer didn't want to try and filler her. Instead, they went for chunks," Elise commented after her first look at the body.

Jones glanced at her. "You're one of those with a sense of humor aren't you?"

"Perhaps."

"It looks like some sort of animal tried to make a meal out of her after the killer took a chunk or two from her."

Elise studied the wound near the heart while shaking her head. "No. I don't think animals were involved. If so, there would be less of her here. However, that is not my department. The coroner has the say over that. With the state the body is in at the moment, I don't want to disturb the body too much before the coroner arrives."

Elise picked up the Nikon camera hanging around her neck to begin taking initial photos of the crime scene and body. Jones watched her attentively as she set out to work. After snapping some photographs of the blood spatter on the wall beside the sliding glass door, she pointed it out to Jones.

"The blood splatter lines up fairly well with her wounds. It looks like she may have been against the wall. It doesn't look like she fought much against her attacker for some reason."

As Elise resumed taking pictures, Jones kneeled down next to the victim's head. He studied the scratches and blood that speckled her face. Elise kneeled down on the other side of the body, snapping photos of the victim's hand before checking for defense wounds or, hopefully, some clues beneath her long nails. As she zoomed in on the victim's hand, she noticed the victim's fingers slowly twitch. The only time a dead body moved on its own was if the person's arm fell off of her stomach or something similar. Gravity at play. Twitching, however, was a completely different story. It was impossible with a body in this shape, especially with the process of rigor mortis.

Elise lowered her camera as the fingers twitched again. "How is that possible?"

Before Jones could offer his opinion or try his hand at morbid humor, the victim's other hand flew to the back of Jones's head. She pulled his head down to her level as she lifted her decaying face to the crook of his neck. It happened rapidly, and there was no time for Jones or Elise to react. He could only scream in pain as she _bit_ into the crook of his neck. Elise screamed for the officers guarding the front entrance. She couldn't move to help Jones because she had no idea what was happening or what to do. She could handle viewing decapitated bodies and burned cadavers, but what was happening now was impossible.

The two officers ran in, and froze on the spot. A completely normal reaction for seeing something that was completely abnormal and horrific. She didn't realize it at the time, but Elise was yelling and crying out Jones's name. The victim, or whatever she was, seemed to not hear her pleas as she bit into Jones's shoulder with a low growl. One of the officers pulled her to her feet, and shoved her toward the main entrance. The remaining officer did the only thing he could. He unloaded an entire clip into _that thing_. She finally stopped moving after a bullet surged through her forehead.


	2. Chapter 2

**Wow, thank you to those who reviewed/followed/favorited the story! I was not expecting that. After some feedback, I decided to use the first person point of view. I want to get this chapter out before the weekend due to all of the stuff I will be working on. College. Enough said lol. I hope you will get a better look into Elise's personality and how she will view the situation in this chapter.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything pertaining to The Walking Dead.**

Ever since what happened to Jones at the woman's house, victims of murder have become victims to some sort of virus. No one knew what it was or where it came from; they only knew what it was doing to people. I watched it play out in person and on the news. When one of those _things_ bit someone or deeply scratched a person, the person would eventually turn into the same creature. So far, no one came up with a definite time line for the turning process. It was not like the stages of death, real death, where it was known what factors could accelerate the process of decomposition. The studies Dr. Bass conducted at UT didn't go to waste.

Although no one knew for certain where the virus originated, many people had theories which they were not afraid to share. I've heard some people blame the government trying to weed out the weak, something in the meat and produce, biological warfare from terrorists (or the government), and God's wrath on the world.

During the initial craziness of the outbreak, everyone who worked with law enforcement was given a new job. I had to help people I came across get to one of the safe places before a formal refugee center was up and running. If I came across a person who was recently bit or scratched, I had to rush them to the hospital. If I came across one of those things that was actually dead, I had to notify the coroner. He and other local pathologists decided to attempt to figure out what was going on. Best of luck to them.

The obvious chaos also meant a wide range of emotions everywhere. I've heard people scream in agony from being attacked, and I've heard people scream their loved ones' names with the same anguish. Fear and anger were rampant, especially as I had to deal with the people. I'm accustomed to dealing with dead people, and the living who were associated with them as loved ones or suspects. Now, I was dealing with people who could be on the verge of death. I've been yelled at for trying to take victims to the hospital as they yelled they were fine from a bite or scratch. I've had to pull people away from their half-eaten loved ones before they were eaten, too. I've also dealt with those things when they were not completely dead. Luckily, my observation skills still come in handy. When the officer unloaded his clip into the thing that attacked Jones, I noticed it didn't stop moving until a bullet went through its brain.

Since my observation skills paid off, I have decided to approach this situation from the forensic investigation perspective as best I can. I must distance myself from the chaos because raging emotions can only lead to more harm in a variety of ways. The people who are attacked are nameless victims. Jane and John Does. However, I was growing tired of calling those things, well, things. Everything in my career had some sort name or title. Murderers killed people, and arsonists set the world ablaze around them.

I've heard some people call _them_ "geeks", but I take offense to that. After investing time in fandoms, reading fiction, and reading anything to expand my forensic knowledge, I would call myself a geek. However, no one sees me stumbling around with hoarse growls emitting from my throat as I search for some poor soul to devour. I've also heard "biters," "demons," which are a completely different horrific creature, "the undead," overused, and, the very classy, "sons of a bitches." The one term I surprisingly haven't heard is "zombie." However, I can understand why. "Zombie" doesn't seem realistic. It's used in horror films and scary stories for a fictitious creature who comes back from the dead. They attack and devour people, but at the end of the movie or book, it is all over. Nothing happened in the real world. This time is different because it is _real_.

Once the outbreak became too out of hand for me and some of the others, it was announced that people should head to Atlanta. Obviously, practically everyone in the nearby counties decided to go. Except for me. I waited it out for a couple more days before leaving my house. The two extra days gave me more practice with the machete and knife I stumbled across. I was quite good with a handgun due to my past training, but I was far from a weapons expert.

After loading some of my belongings, mainly necessities, into my 2010 Corolla S, I avoided the crowded interstate and Atlanta. Although the refugee center was in the best interest of the people, too many people in one town was bound to lead to some sort of trouble. So, I drove down the backgrounds to a rock quarry I came across when I first moved here. I may not be Mrs. Bear Grylls or whoever, but I've always enjoyed hiking. I spent one Saturday hiking in the woods which lead to an isolated rock quarry and a beautiful, large pond. I didn't get the chance to try any fishing, but it more than likely was home to many species of fish. Thank goodness I bought a new tent and sleeping bag before moving to Georgia. I was worried I wouldn't have the chance to do some camping and more hiking this summer, but doing so courtesy of hell on earth was not how I wanted to go about a camping adventure.

As I turned my car through one of the country curves, I heard a pulsating screech above my car. I stopped my car in time to see a few helicopters heading toward Atlanta. I stepped out onto the gravel road to watch what was happening.

I figured the helicopters were going to fly by Atlanta, perhaps go to D.C. or to a base. I was not expecting to see them bomb the city. Explosions thundered as bombs were dropped onto the city and all the people who made it inside the city limits. Fire consumed the city, people, and any possible "things." My hands covered my mouth I stared out to the scene. I felt bad for thinking it was a good thing I decided to avoid the city, and for all of those people who went there expecting to seek safety. After a few moments, I sat back into my car and continued my drive. I wasn't too far away from the quarry now. I would be able to keep my mind busy once I started to set up camp.

The quarry road was coming up on the left side of the road. As I was driving closer to it, a small caravan of vehicles was driving down the road, heading in my direction. Due to how old the back road was, only one vehicle could turn onto the quarry road at a time. I thought I was the only one who would think to come here, but I was apparently wrong as the others and I stopped our vehicles before anyone could turn onto the road. From what I could see, the caravan consisted of a familiar Jeep, Jeep Cherokee, an older, light blue truck, a van, an old Winnebago which had obviously been on many road trips, and I could not make out the vehicles which picked up the rear of the caravan.

Well, I might as well step out to see what is going on. At least those "things" can't drive. I just hope I am right about the person who is driving the Jeep.

**I hope this chapter was not too boring or anything. I just wanted to play around with how Elise views the situation, and why she doesn't hear anyone call the walkers "zombies." I'm a word person, so I always found it interesting the word "zombie" has not been mentioned in the show. Although Daryl and others were not in this chapter, I believe they will be showing up soon. ;)**


	3. Chapter 3

**Thank you to the new followers and people who favorited the story! I believe this chapter is a bit longer than the previous two. However, introductions and initial observations have to occur at some point.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything pertaining to The Walking Dead.**

The man jumped down from his Jeep, and I immediately recognized his wavy hair and serious expression. I quickly stepped out of my car, ecstatic to see someone I knew alive. I may not know Shane as well as his partner who was shot or his family, but I would probably be just as happy to see the Walmart greeter alive in this insane world.

"Officer Shane Walsh!"

Realization softened his features, but he still seemed to be in disbelief. "Elise?"

I nodded in response as I approached him. "It is so good to see someone I know alive."

By this time, some of the people stepped out of their vehicles to see why the caravan came to a halt.

"You got that right," he commented. "I didn't think anyone working got out safely. Glad to see you're alright. Safe to say you're heading to the quarry?"

"Yeah. I came across it when I was hiking in the surrounding woods." His comment was the perfect opportunity to provide a smartass remark, but this wasn't the time or the place. Either way, I was fairly certain he wouldn't try to prevent me from entering the quarry.

"Good. Everyone needs all the help they can get now. Lead the way." He motioned to the quarry road. As I turned to walk back to my car, Shane spoke up again. "You called me by my first name. I guess you met Jones before all of this?"

I could tell he was hopeful Jones was safe somewhere. A bittersweet smile answered his question for now as he turned back to his Jeep.

I sighed in relief as I drove up the quarry road, Shane's Jeep and the caravan tailing behind me. I was comfortable with the situation since I knew Shane. If they were all complete strangers, it would be uncomfortable. However, survival doesn't provide many options. Everyone parked their vehicles and met in the middle of the quarry. I glanced around to see if I recognized anyone. Yep, complete strangers.

Shane wasted no time, and started this unofficial meeting of survivors. His presence in the middle of the group grasped everyone's attention.

"Alright, I know we've obviously been through a lot. However, we'll hopefully be safe here for a while. First, we gotta set up camp, and throw all our supplies together. The RV will serve as a central point. We'll pitch our tents around it, and also rig up a perimeter around the camp site. No time for introductions right now. We got work to do."

As everyone was about to start unloading the vehicles, a man with a buzz cut stepped forward. "Well, officer," he said, pointing at Shane's uniform, "I don't recall electing you leader. Last I heard, the world went ta shit. Cops may not be so high up on the good chain anymore."

Before Shane could respond, the brunette near his Jeep spoke up in a rushed, emotional voice. "We don't have time for this silly standoff. I would like to set up a place where my son will be safe."

The man smirked before he sauntered back to the light blue truck. "I guess we have a first lady here, too," he remarked.

Whether they originally knew one another or recently met up, I noticed each vehicle had some sort of group. I was the exception as I added what food I had to the main pile. It should be interesting to use my observation skills to read these people. People would always rant about how I would be profiling, and how that was illegal. Everyone is guilty of profiling. It might as well be a part of my job. Or what was my job. I already told myself many times I would treat this insane situation as a case, and observing my new neighbors would be a part of it.

For the most part, everyone was silent as each person worked on the task at hand. After setting up my tent, I decided to go ahead and roll out my sleeping bag. Might as well try to make my tent as homey as possible since I may be here for a while.

"Excuse me."

I turned around to face the older man wearing a hat. I believe he was the one driving the RV. "Hi," I greeted with a slight smile.

"I was going through the RV, and came across this extra cot. Everyone else seems to have one, and I figured you might want it."

I smiled as I took the folded up cot from him. This was the kindest interaction I've had with another person since Jones was attacked. "Thank you very much, sir. I really appreciate it."

"Not a problem. I'm Dale Horvath."

I shook his hand with a smile. "Elise Bryant." Although it seemed out of place for introductions and kindness, I actually appreciated it. After everything that happened in Atlanta and the surrounding counties, it is nice to see human kindness again. I think Dale was trying to put me and everyone else at ease.

"It is nice to meet you, Elise. However, I wish it was under better circumstances."

I laughed. "Same here."

With that, he returned to his RV to finish collecting supplies. The awkward atmosphere returned as everyone continued their work in silence. I hoped it would not always be like this. If so, everyone might as well be dead already.

* * *

The warm Georgia night eventually took over the intense heat of the day. We were all tired, and, for once, we had a moment to sit down and relax. Shane built a fire to provide light for another unofficial meeting. Everyone was gathered around the comforting blaze in lawn chairs or on blankets. Some people kept their distance, though. A family of three remained by an irritable looking man. The man who challenged Shane earlier also kept his distance. A younger man stayed by his side. Judging by appearance, I'm guessing they're brothers. If not, they're at least cousins. However, they don't appear to be the nice, _Dukes of Hazzard_ cousins. I sat between Shane and Dale since they were the only people I knew. Well, I knew Dale's name, and he was kind enough to give me an extra cot. With this insane, new world, that served as good enough terms for friendship.

Although being around the fire was nice after the long day, it was far from a "kumbaya" moment. We were all wondering what would happen next. Would we be able to stay here for a while? If so, what about food and other necessities? The small food pile would not last forever. At the moment, we were all munching on a supper of potato chips, beef jerky, and canned vegetables.

"So," Dale said, attempting to break the silence, "is it safe to assume you two hunt?" He asked the two brothers or cousins. The younger of the two simply nodded.

"That's good to know," Shamed chimed in. "It'll be a great asset to getting more food. Not gonna get enough protein from canned goods. I'm sure we all have some sort of skill to work with here. Might as well know everyone's name, too, if we're gonna be here a while."

With that, unofficial meeting number two dealt with identities, and how each person would pull his or her own weight.

Perfect time for observations.

I could already tell Dale was a kind man. He may not be as strong or quick as the younger men, but he obviously had the patience for being the main watchmen atop the RV. Shane clearly personified authority. He was the only one here qualified for a leader type of role.

Apparently the brunette and the young boy who rode with him in his Jeep were not his wife and son. Lori and Carl Grimes were Rick's family, Shane's partner who was shot. Now, Rick was another victim to those _things_. Lori appeared tense and emotional, so I wasn't going to get a good idea of her character right now. She was like a witness who I would have to interview or observe at a later time because she was too emotional at the moment to process anything. Although I am not a kid person, Carl seemed to be a sweet kid. Or, at least, he once was. Due to his father's abrupt death, I believe it may be a day or two before I can get a better idea of him. Lori will probably be on the team of domesticity. I can't see her attempting to fish for food or wield a weapon.

The two blondes, Andrea and Amy, were sisters. Although they appeared close, they seemed to be opposites. Amy, the younger sibling, was trying to keep her lively personality. Perhaps she will understand my attempts at humor after things settle down. However, Andrea's stern features told me she will not be in a laughing mood for a long time. I believe she will be completely serious throughout this outbreak, which is a good and bad thing in my opinion. They mentioned they used to fish a lot with their father while growing up. It was difficult to imagine the two blondes as fisherwomen, but perhaps they can catch a few blue gill before Amy's vivaciousness takes over.

At the moment, Glenn Rhee seemed unsure of himself in this conversation. He said he did not have a worthwhile career, but he can think fast on feet. Apparently he meant that in two ways: literally and figuratively. Shane said he plans to test that out by sending Glenn into the city for supplies in a few days. The poor guy looked as if his death certificate was handed to him early.

The family who kept their distance was the Peletier family: Ed, Carol, and daughter Sophia. After being a part of many domestic abuse investigations, I could easily tell Ed fit perfectly into the abusive husband category. I don't see him helping much around camp, unless he tried to help make it a living hell. Carol remained tense through the entire conversation, and she only nodded in agreement with domestic duties. Sophia did not say much, probably due to shyness or her father's presence. I was willing to bet it was both.

On the other hand, the Morales family was the complete opposite of the Peletiers. They provided a variety of ideas on how to help the camp, along with Jim, Jacqui, and T-Dog. All of them seemed eager to help in any way possible, unlike some of the others.

The two men keeping their distance were brothers as I suspected: Merle and Daryl Dixon. They did not offer any specific services, but Shane's comment earlier established them as the primary hunters. Although they will be providing the meat, I have my doubts if they will completely share. The older one, Merle, fitted perfectly into the redneck stereotype. Stereotypes are not always true, but it was with Merle. During the conversation, he spouted off racist remarks and sexist comments. Although the fire was not adequate light, I noticed a glazed look cast over his eyes. If so, he has done some sort of drug recently. If he does drugs frequently, he will probably end up going from a druggie to a walker eventually.

His younger brother, Daryl, also seemed to fit into the redneck cluster. He was dressed in ragged jeans, and a plaid shirt with the sleeves cut off. I bet Larry the Cable Guy would be proud, but I had a hunch Larry harbored more intelligence than the Dixon brothers. Daryl didn't speak much. Then again, Merle probably spoke enough for the both of them. At least Daryl didn't have the same glaze over his eyes. Well, at least not at the moment.

I was engulfed in my analyzing that I almost did not notice Shane speak to me. "Besides profiling everyone, Elise is a pretty good shot. That will come in handy for defense."

All eyes were on me. "Yeah. Part of the training. When I was in Atlanta, I also picked up a knife to use along the way. I had some time to practice with it on a few of those things. Or whatever they're supposed to be. I've heard them called a handful of things."

"You mean the geeks?" T Dog commented.

"I find that one offense." My remark earned a grin from Glenn. Well, one person who has a sense of humor.

"Who cares," Daryl said. Apparently he does have a voice separate from his brother. "The main thang is they're dangerous ta everyone. The only thang that can kill the walkers is damage to tha brain."

Walkers. That's the term fitting to describe them. Death was no longer personified as a bleak Grim Reaper. Death was a walker.

"That's the only way I've seen them stopped," I said. "I also noticed loud noise attracts them."

"Looks like your observations are payin' off again," Shane commented. "Good thing you had a job that may benefit this group, too. Maybe you'll figure out a way to detect when the walkers are coming in time for us to prepare for them."

I nodded, hoping he may be right. However, that will probably be an ongoing case.

Jim spoke up, slightly changing the subject. "Shane said you were profiling us. Isn't that illegal?" For once, almost everyone laughed, except for the Dixons and Peletiers.

**No offence to any Larry the Cable Guy fans. I'm a fan of his, too. Elise is simply being a smart aleck. I'm not sure how I'm going to type Daryl's vernacular. I've read it in different ways on here. I live in the South, but typing and talking in an accent are two different things lol. Anyway, I hope the chapter wasn't too boring, but I believe it's important for Elise to get her first read on the group. Please feel free to leave a review on your thoughts so far. I would love to read them. :)**


	4. Chapter 4

**This chapter came about quicker than expected. Well, at least I was able to do some fun writing before working on research and organizing for papers lol. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything pertaining to The Walking Dead. If I did, I would not be writing this, and I would not be in college at the moment.**

Routine may be mundane for many people, but it also provided a sense of normalcy. A couple of days after setting up camp at the quarry, a routine was slowly forming among everyone. With the establishment of routine, people began to open up more. Perhaps a mundane sense of normalcy was all it took for everyone to feel more comfortable around one another.

After introduction night, I found myself gravitating toward certain people courtesy of my profiling. I started talking to Glenn by asking him if he was a geek before the new type of geeks came back from the dead. I figured a humorous introduction when I caught his smile at my comment would be an excellent ice breaker. Once again, my observations paid off. The pizza delivery boy was quite the movie buff. As a result, our friendship started to form over the _Fast and Furious_ franchise. Obviously, we avoided movies pertaining to the undead.

I also found myself gravitating toward Amy and Andrea. Although they needed to balance out each other's personalities, I found myself enjoying random conversations with them. Amy originally piped in on my first conversation with Glenn by expressing how hot she thought Vin Diesel was in the films. Apparently she still had the mindset of someone her age in this new world, although the same may or may not be said about Carl and Sophia. As for Andrea, her seriousness was attributed to her job as a civil rights lawyer. Since we both worked in criminal justice fields, we also became fast friends by discussing past cases we have worked.

The main people I have noticed so far to not be more at ease due to routine and conversation were Ed and Daryl. Ed mainly kept to himself. When he was out of his tent, he was always watching Carol and Sophia's every move. Another textbook sign of an abusive man. Daryl mainly talked to and followed his brother. However, Merle was not as quiet as Daryl. I'm fairly certain Merle does not have a filter between his thoughts and his mouth.

During watch shifts, I would have a shift with either Dale or Shane. Not only was Dale a kind man, but he had the special skill of being able to talk about anything and everything. He even had a slight knowledge of forensics from books he had read in the past. His conversational skills were something that was rare among my generation and in the world in general. Like with  
Andrea, Shane and I discussed past cases. I could tell he was trying to beat around the bush to the final case I worked in Tennessee, but I would not allow that conversation to happen.

Shane and I were atop the RV finishing our daytime watch shift. Everyone was finishing up their morning routines. During our conversation, I admitted I thought Lori and Carl were his family, although I did not specify which roles they played.

He laughed at my confession. "They might as well be family. Rick and I grew up together, so we were practically brothers. Maybe if he would have woke up from his coma before all of this happened, he'd be here with us now," he said softly, almost to himself more so than to me.

"I've tried talking to Lori, but she's still distraught. I take it he was pronounced dead during the first stages of the outbreak?"

Shane shook his head. "No. Not officially or anything like that. They were supposed to fly him out of the hospital to a safer place, but that never happened. I wanted to try to get him out of there, but the hospital was overrun, and not completely by walkers either. Military. They were shooting everyone. I checked on Rick, hoping for some sort of miracle that he'd wake up. When the power to the machines he was hooked up to went out, I checked to see if I could hear his heartbeat. Nothin'. Not a single heartbeat. So, I did what I knew he would want me to do, and that was to get Lori and Carl to safety. If I didn't, he'd probably come back to haunt my ass," he commented in an attempt to lighten his dark tale.

"You did the right thing then, saving them. Another reason why you should be the unofficial leader," I commented. "I think people feel better about you being in the lead instead of Merle." I still had my drug hunch about Merle. It simply made sense for Shane to be in the leader role. It's an easy choice between the two: a cop or a hick druggie?

"I appreciate that, Elise," he said as we climbed down the RV. Our shift was over, and it was now Glenn and Amy's turn.

I nodded in response as I started to walk toward the lake. I had a break after my watch shift, and I decided to spend part of it by the lake. However, I stopped before my descent down the hill. A small baggie on one of the logs near the Dixons' tent caught my eye. Similar to how my knack for observing didn't die with the old world, neither did my curiosity, or nosiness depending on how people viewed the trait.

The Dixon brothers were out on a brief hunting trip, and have been gone for a few hours now. I walked over to the log, and picked up the small baggie at the top where it sealed. Most people would say the bag was empty for the most part. However, some of the substance remained in the right corner of the bag. The substance was a dull, yellow powder. My drug hunch was correct. Although I could not say for certain without testing, my guess was the powder was methamphetamine. It obviously wasn't pure, and who knows what it was laced with. Honestly, Merle nor his dealer probably knew what it was laced with.  
After the discovery, like with any other case, I wound up with questions which needed answers. Was this the end of Merle's stash? Did he use and abuse drugs enough to where his withdrawals would turn extremely violent? And what about his brother? Was Daryl the type to follow in his older brother's footsteps?

With hell on earth, druggies were the last thing we needed on the campsite. However, it wouldn't take long for me to get some of my answers.

Merle and Daryl emerged from the tree line, and they were heading in my direction. Daryl stopped for a moment when he saw what I held in my hand. I studied his expression, and he seemed shocked by my discovery. Probably shocked I found out. Merle's reaction was different. He smiled as he strode up to me.

"Hey, sweetcheeks," he said, "cleaning up the campsite fo' me 'n my brother? 'Bout time ya showed some southern hospitality."

I've learned there are a variety of methods for dealing with drug addicts. With Merle, playing along, at first, may work the best. I smiled, and laced my tone with slight sarcasm. "Sure. I just started picking up the trash around your tent," I stated, holding up the small baggie.

Merle chuckled, obviously not his first time trying to lie his way out of being caught. "Looks like I forgot one piece of trash. At least I had my brother ta clean up after skinin' 'em squirrels the other day. Per'aps I deserve a lil treat for that."

Merle truly was the stereotypical hick. A disgrace to the good southern people. I glared at him for his remark. I noticed from the corner of my eye that Daryl was tense, and he was closely watching the interaction between me and Merle. He'll have his turn to be interrogated.

Merle spoke up again as he plucked the baggie from my fingers. "I'll just git rid of this ole snack bag of candy."

Apparently, Merle did not think that line was used in Tennessee. "Of course. I didn't know grown men liked to bust up Sweet-tarts, and snort them like middle school students." Enough of his bullshit.

It was evident to him that I knew what was in the baggie. "Awright, Miss," he said in a darker voice, "no need ta make a big deal outta all this. 'Sides, it was the only baggie I had of it. Not like you and Officer Alpha Male over there could do anythin' 'bout it anyway."

I narrowed my eyes at him. Just because the world went to hell doesn't mean common sense should either. "It better be the last of anything you have. This camp does not need your recklessness to endanger them. Perhaps you should use whatever brain cells you have to focus on staying alive instead of getting high."

I was surprised to see my reaction elicited a chuckle from him. "Good ta see you can keep up with yer words, lil miss detective." With another chuckle, he walked off to skin the rabbits he and Daryl killed.

I sighed in frustration. Either Merle had never served any jail time for drugs, or he had and was past the point of caring, especially since there was no longer a former justice system. Damn.

"It's best just ta ignore him."

I quickly turned to face Daryl. Of course, he would somehow defend his brother. I was still running on the fumes of frustration and aggravation from dealing with Merle. I was usually calm when dealing with such people, but Merle was quite the different character. As a result, I also lashed out a bit at Daryl. Since they were brothers, there were probably not many differences between the two.

"Easier said than the done," I stated. "You're obviously the little brother, right?"

Daryl simply nodded with narrowed eyes, clearly predicting where the current one sided conversation was heading.

Under normal circumstances, I would have shut my trap. However, there was nothing normal about sharing camp with a druggie in a perilous world of walkers. "Then I'll go ahead and ask. Do you have your own little stash?" I asked in the ice cold tone I used during certain interrogations.

My questioning struck a nerve in Daryl, which was nothing new in my line of work. Anger flashed across his blue eyes. "Ya think I'm involved in tha same shit as mah brother?"

Reverse questioning: a technique I've seen used many times. Sometimes the liars use it, and sometimes the honest witnesses use it. I decided to continue with my frigid honesty. "I was correct about your brother, but I am not too sure about you."

His defensive walls remained high, not the least bit phased by me. "Think whatever tha hell ya want, but I ain't as big of a dumbass as Merle."

I watched him closely, and he appeared to be telling the truth. However, Merle's actions keep overshadowing Daryl's words. I would have to keep an eye on Daryl just to be on the safe side. "That will work as an answer. However, your brother needs to straighten up his little drug act fast. I'd hate to see what he'd be like as a walker higher than a kite."

He took a step closer to me, but there was still plenty of distance between us. The distance signified he was not going to try to hit me. I guess he prefers to use words against women. "Best mind ya own business. Merle is one of tha people keepin' this place fed and somewhat safe."

Merle keeping the camp _somewhat safe_? That would be issuing Merle way too much credit than he deserved, which was none. Before I had the chance to sling my words at Daryl, Shane walked up to us. "Problem here?" He casually asked.

Daryl only grunted, and stalked off after his brother.

"I know you don't need any help in dealing with people," Shane said as we descended the hill to the lake, "but you also don't have the safety of a nice interrogation room with two way mirrors."

I laughed a bit. "I'm fine. Believe me, I've dealt with worse back in Tennessee. Word to the wise, just keep an eye on them, especially Merle. Drugs, which you probably suspected as well."

He nodded. "Will do. Better enjoy what you have left of a break." With that, he walked away and into the tree line, probably to check the perimeter again.

I sat down at the edge of the lake, and removed my Justin boots and socks. The warm water swirled around my feet while relaxing the tight muscles. It was nice to breathe for a moment after walker watching and makeshift interrogations. The bright rays from the noon sun glistened across the water's still surface. I realized moments like this would be rare and precious. However, it was sometimes like that when everything was normal. I hope to find rare moments of simple bliss away from the walkers, mandatory survival, and monitoring the Dixon brothers.

**Obviously Elise and Daryl's first interaction would not be a pleasant one, especially since it deals with a "case." Elise does see Shane as a good person since she worked with him before the outbreak. However, I hope no one gets the wrong idea about Shane being a potential love interest for her or anything like that. After all, we know Shane is not checking the perimeter again. *cough-Lori-cough* **


	5. Chapter 5

**I just wanted to say hi and thank you to the new story followers! :)**

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything pertaining to The Walking Dead.**

The next afternoon, the Dixon brothers stayed around camp instead of going hunting. They worked on maintaining their hunting gear since some rabbits were left over from yesterday. I felt like a warden as I discreetly kept an eye on them. I noticed Shane did the same as well. Since the camp was settled, Shane decided it was time to send someone into the city to see how dangerous supply runs would be. Glenn previously mentioned he was quick on his feet and knew the city well, so Shane quickly recruited him for a solo run.

"You're going to send him by himself?" I asked Shane. I understood the strengths Glenn possessed, but it still made me uncomfortable. Surely, at least one or two more people could help him instead of hurt him.

Glenn stood his ground. "For the first trip, this is a much better idea. If I get in a tough spot while checking things out, I won't have to worry about others. I get to be selfish and worry about my own ass. However, groups later on will be a good idea."

Shane nodded in agreement. "I'll get you a gun and some ammo, but only use it if absolutely necessary. Other than that, use a knife. While I round up the supplies, you need to find a ride."

I forgot that Glenn did not have his own vehicle. He met Dale on the road. Why couldn't he use Shane's Jeep since this was Shane's idea?

"Elise, would you say that we're technically best friends now? Especially since the world has gone insane?" Glenn asked with a suspicious tone in his voice. His tone was too nice, and he was already a nice person.

I slightly narrowed my eyes at him before cautiously replying. "Yeah. I suppose so."

"That's good. And best friends usually let one another borrow stuff. So, I was wondering if you would let me borrow your car for my journey into the city?"

"Won't Shane let you borrow his Jeep? It was his idea for the solo run."

"It may be his idea, but I don't see anyone driving his Jeep except for him. Must be an alpha male mentality or something. I definitely don't see the Dixons letting me use their truck, and the other vehicles simply are not as cool or as fuel efficient as your Corolla S."

I sighed, knowing he was right. "Alright, you can borrow my car. However, no Paul Walker driving," I said, "unless I'm in the car."

Glenn laughed and agreed. As I went to my tent to retrieve my keys, Shane joined Glenn and handed him the weapons. Due to the sense of normalcy around the camp, it was easy to forget, at times, what all occurred in the city. Glenn preparing for his first scouting trip served as a sudden reminder that danger was not out of the picture.

I tossed Glenn the keys, and he quickly caught them. "Thanks, Elise." He turned to face Shane as well. "I shouldn't be gone too long. I just to have a look around, but I'll also take my time. Hopefully some of the town's alleyways aren't too bad. If I'm not back by nightfall, then you can start to worry, and, hopefully, save me." He chuckled at the last part in an attempt to lighten the situation. Some of the nearby campers, such as Lori, only tensed at his remark.

"You'll be fine. Just don't venture too far in if you can avoid it," Shane instructed before walking over to Lori.

Glenn opened the driver door, and took his place behind the wheel. "Hey, it registers 150!" He exclaimed while pointing at the speedometer.

I decided to play along. "Don't even think about it! And there better not be walker guts on it when you get back!"

Glenn laughed as he backed away from the camp. After waving his hand out the open window, he drove down the road. As I walked back to my tent, Lori was even more tense, if that was possible, and her brown eyes were wide. I guess she still can't handle humor. However, being in a depressed state all the time wasn't going to help the matter, either. Throughout my career of working with a variety of decaying corpses and insane killers, I maintained a sense of humor and light heartedness. Of course, there were times I knew to keep quiet. If I acted similar to Lori, I would have never survived my first gruesome case. If I didn't retain that part of my personality, how could I emotionally survive the world now?

For once, Merle and Daryl were sitting close to the group. At least close enough to where they could hear the previous conversation. "I don't think ya gotta worry 'bout that chink drivin' yer car," Merle stated. "He's probably used ta drivin' stuff like that. Seems ta be a big thing over in China where that car's probably from. Wreckless drivin' and cars with neon lights."

I rolled my eyes before turning to face Merle. I've battled him a few times over his use of racial terms, and corrected him about it, too. Perhaps a different tactic was needed. "It's a Toyota. Toyotas are from Japan. Japan and China are two different countries, and some of the vehicle parts are made in America along with the assembly of some of the cars. Do you have vehicular racial issues, too?"

He chuckled. "Not bad, lil miss detective, not bad."

Another observation I've picked up is how Merle treats everyone. He does treat everyone like dirt, but the treatment varies in degrees. He's an asshole to Daryl, but Daryl receives the best treatment from Merle. Daryl would be more like dust to Merle. The others, he treats him like they are the worst things on the planet. No respect. Everyone else would be the decay and filth which composed walkers. However, I noticed I was a bit of an exception. I was a few levels below walker remains. Perhaps it was because I was not afraid to talk back to Merle's remarks, especially rude remarks regarding women. The others, especially the women, would attempt to retaliate, but they were not very successful. Dealing with different interrogation styles in the past really did help in different social situations.

Merle walked over to his bike, and began to fiddle with it. Daryl was still making adjustments to his crossbow. While I was talking to Merle, I noticed his eyes were not glazed over. I glanced over at Daryl, and, like with the previous times, he did not appear high or drunk. Although I thought I was subtle in my inspection, Daryl apparently caught me in the act.

"Makin' sure I'm not lit?" He asked as he continued to adjust his crossbow.

Might as well be honest. "Yes. And, for the record, it doesn't seem you have been while here at the camp, unlike your brother."

In his gruff tone, he replied, "Didn't I tell ya that yesterday?"

I nodded. "I'm a 'I need to see it to believe it' type of person. For the most part at least."

"Figures."

I raised my eyebrow, although he couldn't see since he was still working on his crossbow. I sat down on the rock across from him. "What do you mean?" I inquired in a general, conversational tone. I came close to using my calm, slightly cold interrogation demeanor, but I decided to save that for Merle.

His blue eyes glanced up at me to see if I was being serious about my question. "You're one of those CSI type of people ain't ya?" He asked. Now, he was cleaning the crossbow.

"Yes."

"Then ya pay attention to everythin' around ya. However, when you're watchin' one thing, you're missin' other things goin' on."

"That's true, but I don't need to watch everything or everyone at once," I countered.

He nodded, surprisingly agreeing with me. Before he could reply, he noticed Shane caught my attention. Shane was walking into the woods. "I checked the perimeter not long ago," I thought aloud. "How many times does it need to be checked, especially by him?" Was my inspection not good enough? Honestly, it should be pretty damn good. I pay special attention to details, such as when I'm searching for the tiniest clue which can link a person to a crime scene.

Merle walked back over with some of Daryl's arrows, now scrubbed free of crimson rabbit blood. "Ya think he's checkin' the perimeter?" He asked with a laugh.

"Why else would he go into the woods? He doesn't hunt," I stated.

"Wait a few minutes and you'll see."

I didn't have to wait long. After glancing over her shoulder to check on Carl, Lori entered the forest, following Shane's original path from a distance. Due to Merle's chuckle, it was easy to figure out what he was implying.

"Looks like the first lady got over her husband pretty quick," Merle said. "Ya didn't see her follow him soon after because you were focused on somethin' else." With that, he returned to his bike.

I simply stared at the tree line. "That is just horrible and disrespectful," I commented to myself.

"I guess that's one thing ya missed from keepin' an eye on Merle. So far, me and Merle are the only ones ta notice."

"Hopefully the kid will still be clueless. Shane going after his deceased best friend's wife. It sounds like a horrible soap opera."

"Sounds like another problem you CSI people have."

I was slightly confused. "And what problem is that?"

"Everyone seems ta think Shane's a good guy and all. Upstandin' citizen and all that crap because he was a cop. If ya ask me, a lot of it's for show."

For the first time around either of the Dixon brothers, I laughed. "The downsides of profiling, huh? I will admit, I have been wrong some in past, but I'm usually pretty good at reading people. I've been keeping an eye on your brother due to his habits. After the first night, I was right about him."

"And you think you're right 'bout Shane?" He countered.

"I didn't have any problems with him before the outbreak."

He stared me straight in the eyes, determination apparent in his blue eyes. "Well, I guess we'll see who's right 'bout Shane later on." He picked up his crossbow and arrows, and walked to the truck and bike.

I stood up, and decided to see if Carl and Sophia were staying within the designated area. When Lori was away, I've noticed Carl tends to wonder off a little too far. The kids were at a table attempting to play a game of UNO. Carol was by the lake, using a plastic bin to wash the dishes from last night and this morning. Ed was hidden away in his tent. It reminded me of stories about how the terrible creature hides in his cave, protecting his precious treasure.

"Got room for another player?" I asked the kids. It was a nonchalant way to keep an eye on them since their parents were not. However, I was more worried about Carl's wondering tendencies than Sophie's.

Sophie smiled an innocent, childlike grin. "Sure, especially if you know how to play."

I took a seat between the two. "I've played a few hands of UNO in my day."

Neither Sophia nor Carl knew how to play the classic game, so I provided a few instructional rounds with the vibrant cards. As we played, I worked on deciphering my earlier conversation with Daryl. Merle was the one to oppose Shane's unofficial leadership role when we all arrived at the quarry. Daryl only stayed back to watch the scene play out on the rocky stage. I would expect Merle to have certain issues with Shane, but apparently Daryl does as well. He seemed to think Shane was untrustworthy, or, perhaps, power hungry? Before the outbreak, I didn't get the whole power hungry vibe from him. He seemed a bit bossy, but some cops are like that anyway.

Daryl seemed quite confident and determined that he was right. How would he know, though? It's obvious he's observant, but he observes animals and their tracks while hunting. I observe people and evidence in crime scenes. How could he possibly be so confident in his prediction about Shane? He may not be fond of Shane, but that has nothing to do with his leadership role. Shane was not a rabbit or squirrel Daryl had locked in the crosshairs of his crossbow.

Well, Daryl, we will see who is right about Shane, along with anything else pertaining to the people in our camp.

**I hope I kept the characters in character. In season 1, Glenn was quite the laid back guy. I figured he would be into movies and cars, especially after his joy ride in the Dodge Charger lol. I tried to keep Merle in his rude character, but I think he would be the type to appreciate those who can successfully counter him with words. However, he will still be Merle because, well, he's Merle lol. It can be easy for someone like Elise to underestimate Daryl. Please feel free to leave your thoughts in a review. :)**


	6. Chapter 6

**I started working on this the other day when I had some free time, and I wanted to go ahead and upload it since I have to do some lesson planning this weekend. I apologize if this chapter is a bit long. According to the word count, it's longer than previous chapters. (2,707 words) I couldn't find a good point to end it as a chapter.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything pertaining to The Walking Dead or Bones. I am only a college senior.**

"Now you're getting the hang of it," I complimented Carl as he won a hand of UNO.

The young boy grinned, obviously proud of his accomplish with the colorful cards. "I'll have to see if mom has played this game. Hey, mom!" He quickly stood up and ran to Lori, who was making her way to the table.

After my brief discussion with the Dixon brothers, I scanned her appearance. Her brown hair was disheveled, and her white tank top, which she happily exclaimed was a clean article of clothing this morning, was slightly dirty. That was enough to convince me that Merle was right.

As Carl told his mom about learning and playing UNO, Shane emerged from the tree line. I noticed how he looked at Lori with a smile on his face. It was not exactly a smile of a lusty, satisfied man. Instead, it held more emotion, a smile of love for Lori. Merle caught my eye from his bike, and he wiggled his eyebrows suggestively. He was right about the observation I missed.

Before Shane made his way to the table, he called for everyone to eat a brief lunch. He rationed out pieces of beef jerky for everyone. Now, most of the group was sitting in an abstract circle, enjoying the break, eating their portion, and making random small talk.

"Elise, I've finally figured out who you remind me of," Amy suddenly stated. "It's been bugging me since I first met you, and it finally hit me."

Andrea furrowed her brows at her younger sibling. "Who does she remind you of?"

I was curious as well. Neither sister had talked about family members, so I doubted I reminded her of someone that close.

"You remind me of Dr. Temperance Brennan from _Bones_."

Amy's statement caused Dale to glance at me. Since he has read forensic books, it wouldn't surprise me if he's watched related television shows.

"I'm not a forensic anthropologist," I stated. "Although the fields are related, that is not my department."

"You did work with dead people," Lori mused. I think that was the first time she spoke, almost, directly to me. However, I worked with dead people in a different way, but I didn't feel like correcting her.

"I wasn't talking about that. I meant how Elise kind of acts," Amy said, turning to face me. "You're not anywhere near as bad as Dr. Brennan, but you seem distant. Like, Dr. Brennan didn't bring her emotions into play often, at least in the early seasons. Sometimes, she didn't seem to understand how people feel the way they do, and that would sometimes confuse Agent Booth. She also didn't understand some things in popular culture, but that doesn't apply here."

"So, you're saying I'm somewhat stoic?"

"Eeh, somewhat. Like I said, nowhere near as bad as Dr. Brennan. Maybe that just comes with your job." She then looked at Shane, obviously making a comparison between the two of us. "Or maybe not," she mumbled.

Dale jumped into the conversation. "That could be a compliment, too. Dr. Brennan was a very smart woman." Well, I was right about his television viewing habits.

"And Agent Booth was hot," Amy said with that teenage glint in her eye. "Did you have your own 'Agent Booth'?" We all laughed, and the random discussions fell upon smaller groups.

I remained silent as I munched on my second piece of jerky. I knew Amy's comment was completely innocuous, but it did bother me somewhat. When the outbreak first occurred, I told myself I would treat this whole situation like a case. Since it was a case, I kept my emotions withdrawn except for humor. I would make my random remarks, and I would laugh along with the others. Wouldn't holding my emotions back be a good thing during this time? Wouldn't emotions cloud my mental vision of what was going on around me? Wouldn't it block logic and reason? What happened back in Tennessee, with a small town's sense of "good ole boy" justice and politics, involved emotion blocking logic. Just watching the family's reaction, emotions running rampant, mixing up right and wrong, and completely ignoring the facts, made me realize that sometimes emotions needs to be held back or pushed to the side. In the case with that particular family, emotions needed to be completely banished from their minds. Perhaps the same could have been said for most of that town.

However, the current world situation was different. Most of the group has retained their emotions along with reasoning. They still express their anger, especially Merle, and the kids were happiness personified. Lori and Shane obviously have love and/or lust for one another. Although I did not know him before the outbreak, Dale seemed to be the exact same type of person he had always been.

Speaking of Dale, he patted my knee in a reassuring, fatherly manner. "Are you still with us, Elise?"

I smiled at the older man. "Yeah, I just zoned out into lalaland for a bit."

He returned the smile as he stood up. "That's not a bad place to check into from time to time, especially nowadays. It's nice that we can still do some things like we used to. It's just another thing that separates us from the walkers."

As he climbed back up to the top of the RV, I had a feeling his walker comment was slightly directed to the earlier conversation of emotions. Dale had a way of discussing topics by covering it with something totally different, and only the person he was speaking to would be able to detect it.

* * *

The sun began to set, painting the sky with vivid shades of orange, peach, and pink. The chores for the day were finished, and we all sat around the camp fire. Even Merle and Daryl sat closer to the camp fire, but they still were not among the group. They were a few feet behind me and the empty chair reserved for Glenn. Of course, Ed maintained his distance while Carol and Sophia briefly joined us. They would soon return to him, though. I used this time to examine Carol and Sophia. Sophia was much more relaxed, especially since she was talking with Carl. However, Carol was still slightly tense as she listened to Lori. I noticed a bruise on Carol's wrist, which she quickly tried to cover with her other hand. For once, I wish I wasn't right.

Finally, the sound I had been waiting for all day reached my ears: rubber tires moving along the rough gravel. Glenn made it back safely from his journey into the city.

"Told ya the chink knew how ta drive your car," Merle commented while Daryl smirked at his older brother's remark.

"I hate to say this, especially because of your word choice, but you were right," I said.

Glenn shook his head as he took his seat beside. He had a couple of plastic grocery bags in hand.

"Looks like you went shopping," T-Dog stated.

"Yeah, I picked up some stuff while scoping out some of the stores. It's handy how the five finger discount is perfectly fine now."

He rummaged through the bag, the plastic crinkled as he pulled out the goods from his 'shopping trip.' The snacks he found ranged from chips and crackers to random candies and Little Debbie Cakes. Although the snacks have always been cheap and easy to eat on the go, they were now rare, delicious treats.

"I must say, I am very glad to see this lovely lady," Jim said as he opened one of the Little Debbie snack cakes.

Andrea nodded in agreement. "And to think I used to call her a little bitch due to the nutrition guide." That remark caused the whole group to laugh as we savored the delicacies.

"I couldn't pick up more since there were only two bags in Elise's car. You don't haul body parts and evidence in Walmart bags, do you?"

I swallowed the bite of my swiss cake roll before replying. "No, never thought to do that. I just had them in there for trash bags."

Shane, his leader instinct kicking in, ended the casual conversation. "What was the city like?"

Silence fell among the group, the only sounds present were the cackling of the camp fire's embers and the chirping of bugs in the woods.

"Like I said, I wanted to go alone so I could be quick, and it was a good idea," Glenn said. "I mainly ran and climbed to the tops of buildings when I could. I did have to take out some walkers, but I only used the gun a few times. I only went into a small convenience store to get the food. I think we can explore the city more, but we have to be quick and prepared. There was a department store a few blocks down. We could possibly find a lot of supplies in there."

"Do you have a possible walker count?" I inquired. "You're kind of vague about how many you took out, especially since you mainly stayed on the rooftops."

Glenn shouldn't have sugar coated his adventure. "There are big groups of them moving around. The ones I killed were stragglers. Some looked to be dead. I mean, dead and not coming back. A lot of them are just sprawled out in the streets."

Shane gazed into the flames, contemplating the next move. "I think a small group should go into city tomorrow. Make run before it possibly gets worse than what Glenn went through."

Although I've seen Daryl exchange a few words with people here and there, he spoke to the whole group this time. "Sounds good ta me. How many do ya need?"

"Not you. You said earlier you needed to go hunting tomorrow, so that's what you'll be doing. You should be able to go on a hunt by yourself. Merle can go with the group."

It was apparent Daryl did not like having plans dictated to him, but the last of the rabbits were gone. Merle also agreed, perhaps glad to just leave the camp for a while.

"Alright, so I think Merle, Glenn, Morales, and T-Dog should be the ones to go. Sound alright to you, Glenn?"

Before Glenn could respond, Andrea spoke up. "I would like to go to. I can try to find some stuff for the women. Men are usually not the best for picking out clothes or sizes."

Clothes were the group's last concern, but they would be needed eventually.

"Ya sure it's a good idea ta bring a woman along?" Merle asked. Andrea should have known he would speak up. "I may not have the time ta save your pretty ass, unless there is somethin' in it fer me."

"I'll go, too," Jacqui volunteered. "We'll watch out for one another, so you have nothing to worry about."

Merle scowled while Glenn stated the plan should work. However, he warned they may be out there longer due to anything that could potentially happen. It would be safer to wait out a large group of passing walkers instead of trying to kill or run through them.

As everyone prepared to turn in for the night, Merle spoke to me. I braced myself for some sort of rude, sexist comment. "You should have been the one to volunteer ta go. I can tolerate you, but it would be nice if there was something in it fer ole Merle."

"I believe I will pass," I replied as I prepared for the first night watch shift. "Besides, it's my turn to help with some of the chores tomorrow, and I plan on washing my clothes."

"What a shame," he said while go into his tent.

Since Shane did not have the watch shifts completely organized, which bugged the hell out of me, I found out that Daryl also had the first watch shift. Shane and Dale had the night off due to the day shift watches they had.

I climbed to the top of the RV, and took my seat in one of the chairs. With the shotgun placed across my lap, aimed away from the tents, I was ready for any possible walker invaders. A few minutes later, Daryl ascended to the top of the RV and took his seat beside me. Of course, I didn't expect him to use the extra shotgun. He always had the well-used crossbow with him.

"I guess you're stuck with me for first shift," he commented in his gruff tone.

"Nothing wrong with that," I replied. "It beats being up here by myself. I'm just glad Shane required two people. I wouldn't even mind if Merle was the one up here. Although, there would be a lot of bickering and less walker watching."

Daryl seemed to agree. "Least you can hold your own with Merle unlike the others. They ain't got that ability."

"I've noticed that recently. Kind of surprising. However, I couldn't put up with Ed if he was on watch with me. Then again, I don't see Ed doing anything like that since it would benefit everyone here."

"I can agree with that."

Silence fell upon us. Daryl scanned the tree line, and his hands were not far from his crossbow. I studied the shore surrounding the lake. There were no walkers emerging from the woods or trudging along the rough shore.

What Amy commented earlier was still strongly present in the back of my mind. Although I can easily understand the pros of withholding emotions, I can also see the cons, especially after what Dale told me. He's quite the sneaky one. Perhaps he can secretly give me some advice on letting up. Amy's statement also reminded me that I may have been a bit prejudiced during my first confrontation with Daryl, right after I confronted Merle about the drugs. Daryl stood up against me, but I don't allow myself to sway easily. I listen to proof, whether it's solid evidence or numerous observations. From what I've noticed so far, prejudice did come into play, mainly due to that fact it has not been too long since left Tennessee. I felt some guilt. It wasn't right to bring _those_ people into this. I'll probably be with these people, including Daryl, for quite a while. So, I should probably go about this the right way. Better to start now than never. If it doesn't work, at least I tried.

"Listen, Daryl," I finally said. His gaze shifted to me, waiting for me to continue. "I jumped the gun by concluding you were like your brother. Normally, I don't do things like that. I guess, sometimes, things are embedded in a person's mind without one knowing it. I apologize for that."

He stared at me for a moment, deciphering what I _said_ and what I _meant_ in order to see if they were the same. "Nothin' for ya to worry about. Not like I ain't heard similar things before."

Most people would quickly glance away and fall into an awkward silence after such a statement. I've witnessed it many times in the interrogation room. However, that was not something I ever did, and I wouldn't start now.

"It was my mistake, and I can own up to it. However, I won't be apologizing to Merle."

He smirked with a humored grunt. "You were right 'bout him. Far as I know, that was the last he had. Told the dumbass not to bring it."

"He would have been smart to listen to you. Sounds more like you're the older brother."

He nonchalantly shrugged. "Is what it is."

"Well, we might as well start over. I'm Elise Bryant." I held out my left hand as a peace offering to start over.

He glanced down at my hand before making eye contact again. I could tell he was analyzing me. Although I said I would start over, I still have my doubts about his observation skills dealing with people, which he implied earlier. I'm still certain that is my department. He slightly shook his head at my cliché peace offering before shaking my hand.

"Daryl Dixon."

**Yeah, starting over is cliche, and even Daryl knows that lol. Anyway, I brought in the whole "emotion" thing sooner than I originally planned, so I hope it doesn't seem rushed or anything like that. I hope the _Bones_ reference kind of clears that up. Amy looks like she would have been an Agent Booth fan lol. Will Elise be able to keep her word to herself? Of course, Daryl will still be his rough and tough self, but you can't blame him for being somewhat cautious around someone trying to apologize to him and whatnot. Thank you, Aaya123Woods for the constructive criticism on emotion. :) I always enjoy reading feedback. **


	7. Chapter 7

**Since I needed to take breaks from homework and lesson planning at times, I was able to type up this chapter. I also included Daryl's P.O.V. at the end. I went back and forth as to whether or not I should include his P.O.V. What do you all think?**

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything pertaining to The Walking Dead.**

During our night shift, Daryl and I had random small talk between breaks of thoroughly scanning the area. It mainly pertained to walkers and the current situation. We both wandered how safe the area was. So far, there were no signs of walkers or living people coming near the quarry. I believed the group would be successful in bringing in some supplies, and Daryl planned to try to track a deer during his hunt. We also discussed how we first came across the dead returning.

_"Me and Merle were out in the woods huntin'. Some guy has a cabin out there, and it's been there a long time," he said. "We've passed it many times before. Didn't think much of it. This time, I noticed the front door was wide open. As we passed by, I saw somethin' lumped over in front of the door. I had Merle to hold up so I could check it out. Turns out, it was a walker. Not sure where it may have came from. After Merle said somethin', it looked over at us, and made some kind of gurglin' noise. Merle shot it in the head with his gun. He aimed at the right spot, and didn't even know it at that time."_

_ "Luckily he did aim for the head," I commented._

_ Daryl nodded. "What about you? You're 'round dead people all the time."_

_ "Yeah, and how ironic is that," I said with a distant laugh. "I was called in to work a crime scene. The female victim came back. I saw her slight movements as I took pictures, but I didn't react fast enough. She bit the detective I was working with. When I screamed, two officers by the front door came running in. One of them pulled me back while the other kept shooting at her. He almost used up all of his ammo before he finally shot her in the head."_

_ "Shit," Daryl commented. He could probably tell that I didn't go into full detail with my story. "What about the detective?"_

_ I frowned. I hadn't thought too much about Jones. "I'm not sure what they did with him. The officer who pulled me back took me outside, and he wouldn't let me go back inside. My boss eventually arrived, and he sent me back home. Whatever they tried to do to help Jones, I'd say they eventually had to shoot him, too." I didn't want to think about it too much._

_ "That's messed up."_

_ I nodded while staring out at the lake. "That's putting it lightly, too."_

After breakfast in the morning, the group prepared to head out on the first run together. They prepared their bags with weapons and spare ammo, which was already scarce. Instead of using my car, much to Glenn's dismay, they would be using T-Dog's cube van. They must be quite optimistic to fill the van with supplies. Morales hung around his family, ensuring them that he would be alright. T-Dog, Glenn, and Jacqui did not have anyone that close to ensure, so they remained by the van.

Andrea approached me after bidding her younger sister farewell. Amy was not too thrilled her sister was going, but she forced herself to understand it had to be done.

"Elise, could I ask you a favor?" Andrea asked.

"Sure, what do you need?"

"Could you keep an eye out on Amy? I know she is old enough to take of herself and everything, but, with the walkers and everything else, the protective older sister side is stronger than usual."

"Yeah, I can keep an eye on her. I have dish duty later today, so I will recruit her for that."

Andrea smiled. "Thank you so much, Elise. I appreciate it. I figured she would be hanging around you today, anyway."

Before I could respond and wish her well on the trip to the city, Merle approached us. "Well, I didn't know Elise was gonna be baby sitter, today. If Darlina wasn't goin' out ta hunt, I'd have ya ta keep an eye on him, too."

Andrea sighed, frustrated by Merle's presence. All I could say was she better get used to it since he was going on the run as well.

I spoke up so Andrea wouldn't have to deal with him this time. "I doubt Daryl needs anyone to keep an eye on him. He's going out to hunt later anyway."

Merle furrowed his brows, an expression of disappointment crossing his features. "What? No smart ass remark? No threats 'bout me and my habits?"

Andrea looked slightly confused since she did not know the entire story.

"No, not at the moment. Surprisingly, you haven't provided me with a reason to do so. However, that is a good thing. As for Daryl, he actually hasn't done anything since day one."

Merle chuckled for some reason. When he isn't high, he seems to be a bit difficult to decipher. "Well, I believe that's one of the nicest things anyone has said 'bout my brother, and 'specially me, in a long time."

Andrea rolled her eyes, and glanced at Amy. "I will see you later, Elise. And thanks again." With that, she went to see her little sister one last time before leaving for the city.

"Her leavin' is also probably the nicest thing she has done for me," Merle commented.

This was the first time Merle came up to me. The other times I confronted him were due to something else, not random conversation. "Is there something you need, Merle?" I asked in a polite tone. I had to control the impulse to be slightly rude. It was instinct when dealing with Merle.

"'Sides the fact I have ta find somethin' else to bicker with ya about?" He asked with a genuine laugh. I allowed myself to smile a little. "Nah, just figured I'd say bye 'fore heading off with the others. 'Sides from Darlina, I can tolerate ya."

I was somewhat stunned. "Is that somewhat of a decent compliment?"

"Somethin' like that. Take care, lil miss detective."

"Same to you. And keep an eye out for the others."

Merle made no promises about the safety of the group, but that didn't surprise me. After he bid goodbye to Daryl, he hopped into the back of the van with the others. T-Dog was behind the wheel with Glenn riding shotgun in order to provide him with directions. T-Dog drove down the quarry road, a trail of dust kicking up behind the van. We all watched as the van disappeared down the road.

* * *

As I prepared to wash the dishes in the plastic tub, Lori approached me with one of the grocery bags Glenn used in hand. I still hadn't talked much with Lori, especially after realizing, courtesy of the Dixon brothers, she was now secretly involved with Shane. Apparently, she isn't too skilled at keeping secrets. The social atmosphere around us felt awkward. I understood the world was different now, but she didn't mourn long for her husband. I'm sure the others would understand if she needed time to herself.

"Elise, could I get you to do me a favor?" She asked, the plastic grocery bag swinging in her hand.

I dried my hands on the old towel. I didn't mind doing favors for people, but the awkwardness I felt was hard to avoid. "Sure, Lori. What do you need?"

"I've noticed that you can tolerate the Dixons better than most of us. Morales's wife packed some food for him for his hunting trip. Could you take it to him while I help Carl and Sophia with their lessons?"

It sounded like she was using the kids' education as an excuse. After apologizing to Daryl last night, I didn't see what the big deal was. Well, as long as Merle wasn't high or anything like that.

"Yeah, I can."

Lori smiled her thanks, and handed the bag to me. My prejudices were nothing compared to hers and, possibly, some of the others.

Daryl was sitting on a log, preparing his black backpack and crossbow for his overnight hunting trip. Although the group left for the city very early this morning, Daryl decided to hold off for a while.

"It looks like you're almost ready to go," I commented as I walked up to him.

He glanced up at me after loading some extra ammo into his backpack. "Yeah, I'd say the whole camp will be glad me and Merle are gone for a while." His toned was mixed with sarcasm and seriousness.

"Who knows. It's actually too quiet with no one to argue with."

"Merle is good ta have 'round for that."

"Anyway, I was told to bring this over to you."

He took the plastic bag, and stuffed it into his backpack. "You're their errand girl now or somethin'?"

"It seems that way. Apparently, bickering back and forth with Merle and your usual silence serves as better interactions compared to what the others have been through."

"I guess they don't know how ta read my silence."

I studied him for a moment as he prepared his crossbow and arrows. "You mean they don't realize you're watching them closely."

"Yep. Or, as you say, observin' them."

I kept my comment about how people are different from animals to myself.

"I have a question for you," he suddenly asked.

I sat down on the stump across from him. "Alright. I've not been on this side of an interrogation before, but I'll give it my best." My comment earned a humored grunt and smirk from him.

"What was with the whole apology thing?"

Of all the things he could possibly ask, I was not expecting that. He didn't seem like the type to dwell on such things.

"It's just like I said, I wanted to start over. I realized I was wrong, and I should leave things in the past."

He scrutinized me again. As he was about to ask another question, he stopped himself. At least he was smart enough to leave well enough alone.

"Still surprisin', though," he said. "No offense, but I was bettin' on that you would still have that whole detective career attitude thing still shoved up your ass."

"I suppose I deserve that," I admitted. "However, I didn't mean to come across like that. I guess I took my skills a little too far"

"Still, it may come in handy, though. Figure out who to trust. I still ain't too fond of Shane barkin' out orders."

I may be starting over with Daryl, but I always stood my ground. "He fits the leadership role. I believe he should have volunteered to go with the group in the city, though."

"There's your first sign I may be right about him."

I was faintly agitated. "Everyone has their flaws. That should sometimes be taken into account with this kind of people watching. I've had to remind myself of that a time or two." I lighted my tone a little. "People aren't like the animals you and others hunt."

"Is that so?" He countered. I could tell he was slightly annoyed, but he kept himself under control, unlike our past confrontations.

I shifted my feet in the dirt, unsure of how to respond. I knew he was intelligent in his own way. All hunters were. Prey and people were normally two separate and distinct things. However, I knew not to mention that to him. It would definitely set off his temper. He stood up, shouldered his backpack, and carried his crossbow in his right hand.

"Like I said before, we'll see who's right about Shane." He bid goodbye by nodding at me, and walked into the woods for his solo hunting trip. He did not acknowledge the rest of the group.

**Daryl's P.O.V.**

I was surprised "little miss detective" apologized for assumin' I was just like Merle. She seemed to be set in her ways, 'specially when it came to me and my brother. Cops and other people like that like to think they're at the top of the food chain. Elise was the only one, so far, who could admit she was in the wrong.

I was even more surprised when she continued to talk to me, and also how she put up with Merle. I can give her some respect for that, but I can tell she still believes I ain't good at readin' people or dealin' with 'em. That's one thing people always doubted 'bout me and Merle. Since we may not want to deal with some people, we can't read 'em or observe 'em. Whatever issue Elise has had in the past with certain people, she may have underestimated some of 'em. She might have apologized for earlier, but she ain't moved on from some things.

**His point of view was just a short section. A test run. I am concerned if I am keeping him in character. I believe he would have some issues if certain people questioned his intelligence. I would love to know your thoughts about the chapter and story. :)**


	8. Chapter 8

**This chapter looks pretty long, but you have to account for the spaces between back and forth dialogue. With that said, the conversation/interaction at the end of the chapter is kind of important. Also, I am not going to search for and type verbatim the same dialogue from the show. I will use key quotes and whatnot, especially Daryl's smartass remarks. So, the dialogue will be different in some sections, but the main points of it are still there.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything pertaining to The Walking Dead.**

Most of the day was rather uneventful. Amy and I washed all the dirty dishes. Her mind wasn't too worried about her sister, although she expressed her concerns from time to time. She constantly questioned me about if I had my own "Agent Booth," or if I had any slight feelings for a dangerously handsome suspect. I came to the conclusion she watched too many _Lifetime_ movies.

Afterward, a static call came through the CB radio. It sounded similar to one of our group members asking for help, but it was too unclear to tell with certainty. The call sparked concern among everyone. However, Shane reigned in control, although most were not happy about his refusal to help the others if it were them in trouble.

It was late afternoon, and the sun was still shining bright in the pale blue sky. No clouds were in sight. I could not accurately guess the current time. Day and night were my definitions of time now. I was talking with Amy and Carol when an intrusive alarm rang throughout the hills surrounding the quarry. It shattered the conversations and the calmness of the area.

Shane rushed over to the RV where Dale gazed through his binoculars. "Talk to me, Dale," he demanded in an authoritative tone.

I listened closely; the sound was rapidly approaching.

"It's a car, and it's heading this way," Dale responded.

Moments later, a bold, red Dodge Charger came to a sudden stop in front of us. Glenn quickly stepped out of the muscle car, but he didn't shut off its loud alarm.

"Shut that thing off," Shane fiercely demanded, his voice was barely audible over the frantic alarm.

"I don't know how!" Glenn anxiously replied.

"Pop the hood!"

Glenn obeyed immediately. Shane scanned the engine, and pulled a wire near the battery. The alarm's ringing and buzzing died.

"What the hell were you thinking?" Shane's face was tinted red in anger.

Dale stepped in to save poor Glenn from Shane's verbal wrath. "The sound would have bounced around the area. No way the walkers can pin point it."

Family members swarmed Glenn with questions, and they wondered why he was alone in a different vehicle. The cube van pulled up in time. Glenn probably couldn't handle much more of the demanding questions. Andrea, Jacqui, T-Dog, and Morales came out of the van. Relief flooded their family members as they embraced one another. However, I noticed Merle was not present. Before I could ask about him, Morales's wife asked what happened during the trip. She didn't ask about Merle.

"We were trapped in a department store," he answered. "Luckily, the new guy helped us out. Hey, helicopter man! Come meet everyone." He focused his attention on Shane. "He was a cop, just like you."

A man dressed in a sheriff's uniform stepped forward. In mid stride, he came to an abrupt halt. His eyes were wide, and his jaw went slack. It was absolutely silent until I heard Carl yell, "Dad!" He ran up to the man – his dad – and the man collapsed to his knees, engulfing Carl into a tight hug.

I glanced over at Lori, and her expression was one of absolute shock. "Rick!" She exclaimed, and ran into her husband's arms. The man was Rick Grimes. The same man who was shot, and went into a coma. The same man who could not be transported to a safer hospital after the outbreak. The same man Shane said was dead. Shane appeared just as shocked as Lori and Carl. However, he quickly returned to his serious, stoic expression.

We all stepped back to give the reunited Grimes family some time for themselves.

"It's nice to see that good, heartwarming things can still happen," Dale commented. Everyone agreed, but Shane remained silent. I would talk to Shane later, but something else was bugging me more.

"What happened to Merle?" I asked.

Attention was turned to the group who ventured into the city. Glenn was the one to speak for them. "He went crazy. Well, that's the best way to describe it. Threatened to shoot some of us, and it seemed like he wanted to things his way. When it became too dangerous, Rick intervened. He handcuffed him to a pipe on top of the department store roof."

My eyes went wide as I stared at Glenn in disbelief. Someone handcuffed a living human on top of a roof? Left to suffer in the blazing Georgia heat? Merle had anger problems, and I still had some issues with him as well. However, if he kicked the drug habit, I would have been alright with him.

"It was the best thing to do at the time," Andrea chimed in. "Rick was only putting the safety of the group first. I did put a gun to his head when he made the whole mess worse, but I let that slide after what he did to Merle."

"Don't be so quick to judge Rick on that," Jacqui added. "It was only Merle."

I nodded while keeping my remarks to myself. Perhaps Merle was entering the harsh phases of detox. That could explain the insane outburst. From what I heard from Lori, Carl, and Shane, Rick was a good man.

"Well, it's obvious you all didn't come back with any supplies," Shane stated.

The Grimes family walked over to us. "That may be true," Lori said," but they came back with my husband."

Pure happiness radiated from the reunited family. I found myself smiling at their reunion. Although Merle was left in Atlanta, this blissful moment illustrated what Dale said: good things could still happen despite the horrid death and decay stumbling around. Perhaps more good things were to come.

* * *

That night, we were all circled around the fire, except for the Peletiers. They were off to the side with their own fire blazing. Shane had a confrontation with Ed over the height and intensity of the fire since it could attract any nearby walkers. Shane's control became more prominent during the confrontation. I was not sure if it was because it was Ed he was dealing with, or if it was a part of Shane. If it was a part of Shane, was it an old or new part? Rick, embracing his wife and son, shared his unique survival story. I thought how I came across my first walker was ironic, but Rick's experience was terrifying. I could not imagine waking up in the hospital which was deserted of the living, only both types of the death remaining. If he hadn't come across the man who explained everything to him, he would probably be even more confused than the people who were awake at the beginning of the outbreak. Rick was an extremely lucky man. There was a strong chance that if he didn't wake up when he did, a walker may have eventually made its way into his room somehow.

"Has anyone given any thought about what to tell Daryl?" Dale inquired. I thought I was the only one thinking of that.

"We tell him the truth," Rick stated without hesitation. His willingness for the truth was admirable.

"I don't see that going over too well," Jim commented.

"We could always lie," Andrea suggested.

"Lying would make the situation much worse," I said. "Lies always come back around."

Earlier, T-Dog mentioned the key he dropped, and how he locked the rooftop's door. "I dropped the key. I should tell him."

"That may be so, but you're not the one who handcuffed him to the pipe," Rick said.

Glenn glanced back and forth between Rick and T-Dog. "No offence, but I think it may be best if someone who is white tells him." I hated to admit, but Glenn had a point.

With that, people began to settle in for the night. Before I could retreat to my tent, Rick stopped me.

"We didn't get to properly meet before," he said. "I'm Rick. Shane told me about you after the first case you two worked together."

I shook his extended hand. "Elise. It's nice to meet you, although it would have been better while on the job, and to see you alive."

"Well, hopefully I'll still be alive after talking with Daryl. He sounds like he may have a temper and whatnot like Merle has."

I didn't want him to make the same mistake I did. "He and Merle have similar tempers, but Daryl is not like Merle. I'm sure he'll be mad, but I don't think he would drop down to Merle's level. Then again, this does deal with family, so it could be a different story."

"Thanks, I will keep that in mind. I have a feeling tomorrow is going to be a long day, so we better turn in for the night."

"You're probably right. Goodnight, Rick."

* * *

The routine the next morning was the same, except for the new addition to the camp, and the missing presence of the two Dixon brothers. I didn't see Shane until he returned in his Jeep with water, and he warned everyone to boil before use. Everything went as normal as things could in a world where the dead roamed the earth. However, everything changed when Carl and Sophia screamed in terror. We all stopped what we were doing, and ran to the area the kids were last seen. Almost everyone came to an abrupt halt upon seeing a decaying walker consuming a fallen deer. Those who had some sort of weapon in hand began to attack the walker, and someone also beheaded it. The only weapon I had on me was my handgun, but I didn't want to use it in case another one was in ear shot.

I glanced at the kids, and they only appeared startled and not physically harmed. I heard someone comment that it was the first one to come so close to camp. However, we all went silent as a certain, obviously frustrated, hunter emerged from the woods.

"Son of a bitch! That's my deer!" He exclaimed while walking over to the deer and walker.

"Well, it was your deer," I commented, hoping to lighten up the situation even the slightest bit. "I think this walker wanted it a bit more than you."

While Glenn snickered, Daryl ignored me and continued his ranting. "Look at it. All gnawed on by this. . . filthy, disease-bearing, motherless proxy bastard!" He emphasized key words with a swift kick to the walker's decomposed body.

_Motherless proxy bastard?_ That was a new one.

"I'd been trackin' it for miles. Was hopin' to cook us up some venison. Think if I cut away from this part it'd be alright?"

Shane grimaced at the thought. "I wouldn't chance that."

Daryl glanced at me to see my input. Perhaps he didn't want to accept Shane's word. "I agree with Shane. I think one that's been hit by a truck would be a safer bet than this one."

Daryl nodded; although it was evident he was still pissed off. Dale, being the man of reason, attempted to calm Daryl down. His words did the exact opposite.

"Why don't you take that hat and go on back to _Golden Pond_. I have some squirrels, so that'll have to do."

As he started to walk off, the beheaded walker head began to grunt and gasp, catching almost everyone off guard.

"Don't ya'll know nothing?! Gotta aim for the brain!"

After shooting the walker's head, he stalked off in search for his brother. That was the cue for Rick and the others to break the news to Daryl.

I held back a bit as I retrieved Daryl's arrow. With my boot on the walker's cranium, I pulled out the arrow. The sudden movement of the arrow against the slipping, decaying flesh gave off a wet, sloshy sound. Glenn, who was kind enough to wait for me, grimaced at the noise. "That sounded so gross."

I smirked at his squeamish appearance. "For as many of them we'll probably have to kill, you better start getting use to whatever noises come from them."

"You take too much enjoyment in seeing people like me squirm."

I laughed. "Keep in mind, it's pretty difficult to gross me out."

As we joined the others, it was apparent someone had broken the news about Merle to Daryl, and his reactions were impulsive from his anger. He was only looking through the narrow lens of fury, and not thinking his actions or words through. He calmed down a notch when Lori mentioned that Rick would take him to Merle. T-Dog also volunteered. Of course, Glenn the navigator was recruited, and Shane was not happy about the situation whatsoever.

"I will go, too," I suddenly stated.

"I do not think that is a good idea, Elise," Shane stated. "Too many people are going as it is."

I remained firm in my stance and words as I turned my attention to Rick. "I know you said you handcuffed Merle to a pipe. Is it not possible that he could have slipped the cuffs, and, somehow, find another way down from the roof? If the buildings are close enough, he could jump from one roof to another as long as the distance isn't too much or too high."

"It wouldn't be the first time someone has slipped cuffs," Rick thought aloud. "In the heat of the moment, I'm not sure if the cuff closed completely around his wrist."

"Exactly. And if he is desperate enough, he will try nonstop until he gets his hand through. If he isn't there, you will need me to help you find him. Daryl may track deer, but I can track people if the clues are there, and they usually are."

The men realized I was right. Anyone trapped on a roof in the intense Georgia heat would be desperate. Instincts would kick in, and flight or fight mode would initiate.

"I still don't like it," Shane reiterated. "I don't need all of you going after some douchebag."

"Better choose your words carefully," Daryl threatened.

"Oh, I did. I meant douchebag. This camp doesn't need to be left so defenseless."

"Sounds like you could use more guns," Rick stated. Glenn's face lit up as Rick mentioned he left a bag of guns in the city.

Shane could no longer argue, and he finally agreed. Rick, Glenn, and T-Dog, went to their respective tents to prepare for the trip. Daryl stalked off to his truck to prepare as well. Shane gave me a _what the hell are you doing _look as I followed Daryl. Once I reached him, I twirled the bloody arrow in my hand before handing it to him. "You may need this."

He took it from me, briefly nodding his thanks. As I turned on heel to prepare for the trip into the city, Daryl turned his attention to me. "Let me ask you somethin'."

I leaned against his truck, turning my head to face him. He intensely stared out at the lake. "Obviously, you're observant about the people here. Who do you think will be the first ones to die?"

His tone was coated in the anger he still harbored for those who left his brother behind. He was more than likely just blowing off steam, but I could tell by the set stern expression he wanted my answers.

"Well," I started, shifting my weight as if it would help me adjust to the sudden awkward question. "I don't think Merle will be one of them. He is too much of a stubborn asshole to let this situation bring him down." Daryl smirked as he agreed with me. "You are also quite stubborn, and your apparent survival skills will keep you alive much longer than the rest of us. Rick and his family will not be one of the first ones, because he will do whatever it takes to protect them."

"Obviously," Daryl muttered.

I continued as if I didn't hear his comment. "Shane will also stay alive for a good while because he is extremely determined to survive. He may not have your skills, but he means business in this new world. Dale will live for a while because he is on top of the RV all the time. Well, he'll live as long as walkers do not learn how to climb ladders." Daryl smirked again. Perhaps my banter would calm his anger down somewhat. "On the other hand, I do have some concerns about Glenn, but he is still learning." I sighed before continuing with the next people on my list. Their outcome was not as good in my opinion. "Andrea and Amy may be the first ones for their own unique reasons. Amy is not very cautious, and Andrea's emotions get in the way too easily. Carol may also be one of the first ones. If the walkers don't get to her, her abusive husband probably will. Jim is another-"

"What about you?" Daryl interjected, staring at me as he waited for my response.

I shrugged my shoulders. I wasn't too shocked by his question. "Just like with my old job, I'm not guaranteed tomorrow. I'm sure there are a lot of criminals who would have loved to do me in."

"None of us ain't guaranteed tomorrow anymore."

I nodded my head solemnly. "No. We aren't any more."

**That was a pretty dark discussion, but at least it was a positive interaction between the two. I would really like to know your thoughts on the chapter, and I hope it wasn't too long to read through.**


	9. Chapter 9

**Since I had some downtime, I've been in a writing mood. I changed my ideas for this chapter a couple of times before deciding on the current one. As a result, it may seem a bit rushed. Quite a bit of dialogue, especially with a member of the nursing home. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything pertaining to The Walking Dead.**

Rick, Daryl, Glenn, T-Dog, and I made it into the department store building. We left the van outside of the city in order to not attract any more walkers than necessary. The city's new appearance reminded me of areas which were affected by atomic bomb testing. I could easily imagine thick dust from a mushroom cloud force its way through the city, destroying the center area as it worked its way outward. The outer buildings were lucky since they weren't completely destroyed. They were only covered in dust to make them look like they had aged twenty years. The same could not be said for the areas in the far center of the city.

After Daryl shot an "ugly skank" walker, we hastily went up the stairs which led to the roof. T-Dog cut the lock, and it dropped to the ground with a thud.

"He better be alright," Daryl warned.

T-Dog shoved the door open, and Daryl pushed his way through. I was near the back of the group, so I heard Daryl scream in anguish before I saw the deserted rooftop. No Merle. No walkers. I joined the group, and I finally saw what had upset the usual stoic Daryl. Merle broke free from the handcuffs, but not by slipping out of them. Desperate times really do call for desperate measures, and the remains of Merle's hand and handcuffs illustrated that desperation.

Out of anger, Daryl turned on Rick with his crossbow, and Rick aimed his handgun at him. Glenn and T-Dog were smart to stand to the side since they were not sure how to handle the situation. My pulse quickened at the intense scene. I didn't want someone to be left here in Merle's place. However, this wasn't my first rodeo.

"Alright, guys," I said to grab their attention, while also trying to remain somewhat calm. "This is not how we need to handle the situation. Daryl, I know you're pissed because of what Rick did. I probably would be, too. Rick, now is not the time to play sheriff. Besides, I doubt either one of you want to waste ammo, although Daryl's can be recycled. Now, this is why I said you needed me. Please try not to kill each other at the moment."

I didn't wait for their response as I kneeled by the pipe. I was slightly looking forward to telling Shane I was right about them needing me. "The good news is the lack of large blood puddles indicates he used his belt to make a tourniquet before using the saw on his wrist," I stated aloud, whether or not the men were listening. I gazed up, and apparently they were.

"He ain't that stupid," Daryl defended. "He's had to be his own doctor in the woods 'fore."

"That's good. He did a pretty good job because only small, spaced out drops of blood lead to the edge of the building. Unless he's secretly Spider-Man, there must be an emergency escape he was able to drop down to." I picked up the cuff to examine it. "It looks like you did get the cuff to completely close tightly around his wrist, Rick."

Rick glanced down at the ground. He must have been hoping the cuff was loose on Merle's wrist. Daryl, with his anger under better control, asked T-Dog for a do rag. He used it to pick up Merle's hand. The fingers were slightly curled in a relaxed grasp. After wrapping the hand in the rag, Daryl placed it in Glenn's back up. Glenn was disgusted with having to carry it.

"I think this would be a part of Elise's job," he stated.

I grinned and patted Glenn's shoulder. "Believe me, it could be much worse."

"Ya'll need to hurry your asses up!" Daryl demanded as he began to descend the emergency escape ladder, his crossbow ready in his right hand.

We eventually made it into an office building. As we entered one of the offices, two walkers were sprawled out on the floor, dead at last.

"Looks like we're on the right track," I commented.

Daryl nodded. "Had enough in him to take out these two sumbitches. One handed. Toughest asshole I ever met, my brother. Feed him a hammer, he'd crap out nails."

"I have to give him credit for that, but there is still the chance of shock. He's been running on adrenaline."

I passed by the men to walk into the neighboring kitchen area. The stove was in disarray as I stepped up to it. Daryl followed behind me, and he pointed out Merle's belt. An all too familiar smell wafted in the air. Picking up the utensil Merle used, the scorched skin remained on the bottom of it.

"What's 'at?" Daryl inquired.

"Skin. That's also what you smell. Merle played doctor again. He cauterized his new stump. Like I told you earlier, Merle will survive," I sincerely said. As I glanced up at Daryl, a sense of relief appeared in his eyes.

"It also looks like he decided to bust outta this death trap," he said as he walked over to a busted window.

Although there was disagreement among everyone about Merle's situation, everyone agreed to go after the guns before continue the search for Merle. As Glenn searched for random office supplies to illustrate his plan, I stood next to Daryl. "Merle will be alright for a little longer," I said in an attempt to reassure Daryl. "Honestly, he could probably make his way through the city and back to camp by himself."

"I know he could. However, I don't really get why you're being so helpful Ya definitely seem to give a damn compared to the others."

I shrugged. "I'll stick to the story I told you the other night."

"Whatever. But just so ya know, I would've still been able to track him here, even though he is a person and not a deer."

It was clear he was referring to what I said to Shane in order to prove I may be needed. Daryl called me out on it, and I was caught in an awkward silence. However, it was only awkward for me.

"Ya don't have to go through a bunch of science classes and whatnot to be able to track someone. Same stuff from the woods applies to here."

I just stood there, mouth slightly agape from surprise. Talk about embarrassing. I was being called out for something I didn't think he caught, and he was probably implying that I called him stupid or something along those lines. My cheeks warmed from the embarrassment, but Daryl only smirked at his success in calling me out. Although it wasn't a cruel smirk, it did not make me feel any better. He didn't seem to despise me for my comments, though.

I was saved by Glenn kneeling down on the floor with his office supplies. Rick kneeled down across from him while Daryl kept his spot against the wall. I had to move in order to see Glenn's makeshift diagram. Glenn described his plan and everyone's placement. I would be following Glenn for backup, and also serving as an extra set of eyes.

"Are you sure it's a good idea to have two people out in the open?" T-Dog asked.

"Even I think it's a bad idea, and I don't even like ya much," Daryl said to Glenn before turning me. "You're alright, but do ya really want to be responsible for Glenn's ass?"

"I can handle it," I stated confidently.

Glenn agreed with me. "With an extra set of eyes, I won't have to worry too much about walkers because she'll have my back. You guys have both of our backs."

Rick was hesitant, but he agreed none the less. "Just be careful, and be quick."

Daryl, Glenn, and I were crouched down in the alley, waiting for the right moment to sprint for the guns. I remembered to bring my knife with me this time. "Ya got some balls for a Chinaman."

Well, at least this time Daryl sort of complimented Glenn.

"I'm Korean."

"Whatever. Elise, be careful out there. I don't want to have to save both your asses."

"Glenn gets a compliment on his courage, and all I get is a warning?" I asked jokingly.

"Ya might get a compliment if ya both make it back in one piece."

"Now!" With that, Glenn and I broke into a sprint for the guns. I followed at his heels with my knife in hand. I also had my gun in my jeans' waistband just in case.

Some of the walkers noticed us, but did not try to follow us. We made it to the black vinyl bag safely. I stood watch as Glenn quickly made sure the bag was zipped as closed as possible, but some shotgun barrels stood out of the bag. As we were about to run back, Glenn quickly turned and grabbed Rick's hat. On the way back to the alley, one walker was about to stumble toward us, but I reacted before he had the chance. I sprinted up to him, and quickly stabbed him through the temple before continuing to the alley.

A couple of men landed firmly on their feet after jumping down from the gate. At the same time, a car came to a screeching halt behind us. The men were speaking Spanish, and one of them pointed at Glenn. As the men grabbed Glenn, he heaved the vinyl bag and Rick's hat in my direction. The men didn't have time to come back for the items, but they were able to take Glenn with them. I snatched the bag and hat up as I entered the alleyway, and Daryl quickly closed it behind me. T-Dog and Rick were now with us, and Rick had to restrain Daryl from lashing out at some boy. I was beyond lost as to what just happened. All I knew were two men took Glenn, and some kid was practically left in his place.

"I'm gonna kick your nuts up in your throat!" Daryl threatened as Rick had to work harder to restrain him. T-Dog held the boy back, but he was not putting up as much of a fight as Daryl was.

"Can someone please tell me what the hell is going on?" I demanded. "Glenn and I weren't even gone for two minutes, and all this craziness is going."

Rick and T-Dog appeared as confused as I was. "They took Glenn. That little bastard and his little bastard homie friends," Daryl answered. The face the boy made only enraged Daryl more. "I'm gonna stomp your ass!"

Rick finally reigned in order by demanding we go back inside the building.

Once inside, Rick, Daryl, and T-Dog began to question the boy. I stood off to the side in order to enjoy the show. My moment to intervene would come up soon, and, for all I knew, it could be one of the last times I could be "little miss detective." Daryl needed to vent out his anger, and his only target was the boy.

"Merle? What kind of hick name is that? I wouldn't name my dog Merle." That was the wrong thing to say, kid.

Daryl's features tensed up as he unzipped Glenn's backpack. He swiftly pulled out the rag which contained Merle's hand. "Want to see what happened to the last guy that pissed me off?" He tossed the hand over to the boy, Miguel, and he, although restrained, tried to move away from it. "Start with the feet this time."

"Alright," I called as I moved to sit in front of Miguel. "I think rough house time is over."

"And who are you? You haven't said anything the whole time. You some puto?"

Although I wasn't fluent in Spanish, I knew some of the words. "No, I am not some bitch, but I can be if needed. Obviously, you don't want to stick around us, and we don't want you to either. You want to go back to your group, and we want Glenn back. Just tell us where they are so we can talk. This does not have to be complicated. Besides, you don't want it to get to the point where Daryl cuts your feet off, and I become 'some puto; now do, you?"

* * *

The first meeting with Miguel's group did not go as well as we had hoped. Guillermo wanted the guns, and he warned for us to come back with them in the bag, or to come back locked and loaded. After discussion, we returned to the group's shelter with Miguel in tow and weapons ready.

"I must say," Guillermo said at our return, "I had you pinned for the type of people to do things peacefully, especially you, cop. I expected to see the guns all nice and neat in the bag like a Christmas present."

Rick shoved the now free Miguel toward Guillermo. "Like I said, you can have your man back, and we get ours back."

"I'm gonna chop up your boy. I'm gonna feed him to my dogs. They're the evilest, nastiest man-eating bitches you ever saw. I picked them up from Satan at a yard sale. I told you how it has to be. Are you woefully deaf?"

"Maybe selective hearing," I answered with one of the shotguns trained on one of the men. "But you also mentioned something about being ready for a fight."

As the noise from the cocked guns echoed throughout the building, an older woman approached Felipe. There was no way I could shoot her, and Daryl shared that sentiment.

"Get that old lady out of the line of fire!"

The situation took a stranger turn when the woman thought Rick was here to arrest her grandson. However, she knew Glenn, and she was our only peaceful pass to get to him. We followed her into a new area, walking through a hallway that smelled like a variety of disinfectants. The windows in all the rooms were boarded up, and some of the rooms housed older people. In one of the rooms we passed, I spotted an older woman being cared for by a woman who looked to be in her early twenties. Normally, some people are quick to judge a person that young as being selfish, only looking out for herself. However, instead of seeking the safest place possible, she was here taking care of someone's grandmother.

"I cannot believe this," I mumbled in disbelief.

Daryl heard my mumbled commentary. "I know. I would've bailed outta this death trap a long time ago."

This time around, it seemed like he was the one who needed to apologize. "Are you serious? You would just leave these people, people who are probably like your own grandparents, behind without a second thought?"

"Yep. Stayin' behind would just be an invitation for walkers."

"Do you not know how cruel that is?! What if it was someone in your family? Grandpa Dixon or whoever?"

He glared at me as we entered the gym area of the nursing home. "Like I said, I would've bailed out."

Instead of bickering with him, I dropped the subject. It wasn't their fault they were here in the first place. I saw Glenn standing near the man who was being treated by one of Guillermo's men. He seemed completely fine, and was probably helping the people here the whole time.

"I thought you were being eaten by dogs, man," T-Dog exclaimed at seeing how calm Glenn was.

Glenn furrowed his brows, and move to stand by me. Behind where he was standing was a dog bed with three Chihuahuas in it. One of them barked and growled at us.

"I know Chihuahuas have been called 'ankle biters,' but I think Guillermo gave Satan's dogs more credit than they deserved," I commented.

"Damn rats," Daryl mumbled. Rick and Guillermo left to talk in private. Daryl went to stand by the double doors, ready to leave and resume the search for his brother.

"And you've been back here the whole time?" T-Dog asked Glenn.

"Yeah. Those dogs probably have more bite than these guys. I've just been helping as needed, and talking with the old folks the rest of the time. They seem to appreciate that more than ever now."

T-Dog looked to be in deep thought for a moment. "Yeah. I'd say they do."

Glenn motioned for us to follow him. He and T-Dog joined a group of men at one of the tables to play a card game. As I was about to walk over and join them, a lady with cotton white curls grabbed my attention. She smiled and gestured to the seat next to her.

"Surely you don't want to join those boys in their card game," she said as I sat next to her. "I know for a fact that John is quite the card shark."

I smiled at her warm demeanor. "Thanks for the warning. Too bad T-Dog and Glenn don't know that."

"They'll just have to learn the hard way," she chuckled. "I'm Jane Roberts."

"Elise Bryant."

"Well, it is nice to meet you, Elise. It's nice to have someone visit to babble on about random stuff again. And to think I was due to leave this place in a couple of weeks. Then, the outbreak or whatever started."

It was easy to tell she was "babbling." "What do you mean?" I inquired. Truth be told, who knew when she would have another visitor again.

"I was only here for recovery and rehab due to my leg surgery. My doctor had me to come here to ensure I didn't do too much. Then again, he probably pocketed some money from it. Since I was stuck here, I'm still here after the outbreak. My husband, on the other hand, he doesn't have to go through this. Lucky bastard," she cursed him with all the love in her heart at his mention.

"I'm sorry about that."

"Don't be, Elise. He died five years ago, and didn't take me with him. However, that's a good thing. If he was here with me, it still wouldn't be the same."

It may have been intrusive, but she sparked my curiosity. Besides, she was an open book to begin with. "What do you mean? Although you called him a 'bastard,' you said it in a way that tells me you still loved him. If he was here, wouldn't that be better for you? Unless you have other family nearby who may try to make it here?"

"My kids and grandkids are out of state, and they would be crazy to try to make it here. But, I don't think it would have been better if he was here. One of the men helping here, his grandparents were here. When the first _whatever-they-are_ attacked, his grandparents were the first ones to die. Poor boy was a wreck. From that point, I distanced myself from everyone here. Sure, I'd talk to them like I'm talking to you, but that was it. I've slipped up a time or two, but for the most part, I try not to care. Try not to be too close to the others here. I was already friends with a few of them, but they're gone now. No use trying to make friends when they could be gone tomorrow. If my husband was here, I'd distance myself from him, too. Try to save us both the pain and sadness."

Her words struck a chord with me. I vowed to view all of this as a case, which means flinging emotions to the side. I've somewhat made friends with the group at camp, but I never opened up as much as they did. Amy called it correctly when she said I was like Dr. Brennan from that show she watched. Although Amy may have sugar coated it by bringing up her favorite show, she was exactly right. Hearing Jane say she would even distance herself from her _own husband_. . . . that was the hardest tug on the heartstrings.

"But, wouldn't that also prevent happiness? I mean, I know the world is hell now, but wouldn't the lack of happiness and everything else that is good make it worse? Hell, perhaps the lack of pain and sorrow would somehow make it worse, too." The last part was mainly to myself, but Jane heard every word I said.

"Yes, sweetie, I believe you're right on both accounts. By doing so, it's not much of a life worth living. Then again, who knows how much longer I really have."

"You're kidding, right? You said you were only here for recovery. Other than that, it looks like you're a clean bill of health."

"Maybe so, but the point is still the same. Not much of a life worth living. If I was young, I'd still do the same. Even though I'd have to survive, should life still be worth something? Not be distant for my own emotional safety?"

I couldn't believe I was having this conversation with this woman, and the effect it was having on me. I gazed around the room, and no one seemed aware of this. T-Dog and Glenn were smiling and laughing with the older men, Rick was still with Guillermo, and Daryl leaned against the wall, staring at the entire room.

"Why are you telling me all of this?" I asked.

The tint of frustration in my voice didn't bother her. "Because I wanted to talk to someone, and you looked like a woman who needed some advice from this wise old owl. There's a comparison between us old folks and owls for a reason."

"And you think I needed advice on handling my emotions?" I was practically doing what she was already.

"It may not necessarily be my advice, but my story may have provided yourself with your own advice. According to you, my life as it is really ain't worth living."

"Elise! T-Dog! Glenn!" Rick called for all three of us from the double doors. "Time to head out."

I stood up, and quickly turned back to Jane. "I'm sorry I have to leave so soon," I started, but she dismissed me.

"Don't worry about it. It was nice to talk to someone who looks like she needed it more than my need to ramble on. Figure out what exactly you need to do, and take care of yourself out there."

"Some time today would be nice, Elise!" Daryl yelled. I bid Jane farewell, and thanked her, one last time before jogging over to the men. "What were ya talkin' to that old woman about? Makin' up for that lack of hair salon gossip?"

I smiled as I followed the men out the door. "She just gave me some insight is all."

"Whatever. Looked like a couple of gossipin' old hens."

"Nah. Just some needed insight."

**Gotta love old lady wisdom. :) I hope it wasn't too horrible, but there wasn't much interaction with the nursing home residents in the show. I figured it would be something somewhat interesting to add. People shouldn't underestimate the elderly, just like Elise shouldn't underestimate Daryl's skills and intelligence. **


	10. Chapter 10

**I have been in a writing mood, although my laptop may not be too happy about that lol. However, it is probably a good thing I am in a writing mood since I have to plan a few 500 words minimum essays. Anyway, I want to give a huge thank you to Aaya123Woods for the idea I used in this chapter. I modified it a teeny bit, but the credit goes to her for the idea.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything pertaining to The Walking Dead. I also do not own anything in popular culture which is used as an allusion.**

We left the nursing home, and decided it was time to head back to camp. After talking with Jane, everything we discussed was jumbled up in mind. Originally, I thought distancing myself and treating the situation like a case would be the best option. However, I began to realize the cons to it. I would feel beyond overworked if this was a huge, never ending case. That life would not be worth living. It would be lonely and long. I know I'm not guaranteed tomorrow, but one day would seem much longer and exhausting from my previous perspective. Back at camp, I recalled Dale reiterating how important it was to remain human. If I toss my emotions to the side, I wouldn't be completely human anymore. Emotions were only one aspect which composed humanity, and it was also an important aspect. I can still be logical about certain situations, but without emotions, I'm pretty much nothing.

We finally reached the area where we left the van, but the van was missing.

"Where the hell's our van?" Daryl demanded.

"We left it right there. Who would take it?" Glenn questioned.

"You know," I said, "It is possible to drive one handed. Even people with two hands do that all the time."

"You gotta be kidding me," Glenn sighed.

Daryl knew what Merle would have in mind. "He's gonna be taking some vengeance back to camp. We better start hoofin' it 'cause we have a good hike 'head of us."

Rick rubbed his face in frustration. He and T-Dog led the way, and Daryl, Glenn, and I trailed behind. There was no use running or jogging back to camp. That would only wear us out faster, and it would take even longer to return.

"How pissed do you think Merle will be when he gets there?" Glenn asked Daryl.

"Pissed enough to find someone to go off on. Since Rick ain't there, he'll probably go off on Shane, and use bein' abandoned as an excuse to do so."

"I'm sure Merle would enjoy that," I commented. "I don't think he'll go too crazy since you aren't there. He may wait for you, and save his wrath for Rick."

"Maybe."

Silence engulfed the group as we continued our hike. It got to the point where I couldn't stand it. When I was attempting to keep my distance, silence almost did not exist. Now, with my change of plans, silence was prominent.

"So," I started, not talking to anyone in particular, "if the world hadn't gone to shit, what would you probably be doing right now?"

"Are ya serious?" Daryl asked. Although he and I have been talking, I was still surprised he was the first to respond.

"Yes. Like you said, we have a long walk ahead of us. If you want, I can always ask about the weather."

"The weather is always hot as hell here," T-Dog stated. "Anyway, if it was the weekend, I would probably be out grilling. I can make some mean BBQ."

"If we ever come across the supplies for it, you'll have to fix some," Rick commented with a smile, probably reminiscing on his past summer BBQs. "This summer, I had plans for me and Carl to do some stuff together. He said he wanted to go camping, and learn to fish."

"Well, he kind of got his wish," Glenn awkwardly said.

"Yeah, he did, but I had different circumstances in mind. I guess we'll just have to make the best of it. What about you?"

"Probably work. Usually weekend orders give better tips. Elise?"

"It depends. Work always came first. However, I enjoyed reading and watching movies. Netflix was the best thing ever. Since I was still fairly new, I hadn't had the chance to goof off around town and whatnot. I hadn't even had the chance to order and have a pizza delivered."

"If I was the one to deliver it, you had better tipped well!" Glenn joked.

"I might have if my order was right," I chuckled. "The only area I had the chance to explore was the woods around the quarry. It was on my list to hike and explore more. I always loved just being outside, even if I was just sitting down and relaxing. I still had some work to do my house, too. At least now, I don't have to worry about the mortgage payments. And, you, Daryl?"

He shrugged his shoulders as he adjusted the crossbow on his shoulder. "Probably preventin' Merle from doin' somethin' too stupid. After work, we'd sometimes head over to the bar with some work buddies. Other times, I'd be workin' on my truck, or out in the woods huntin'."

"Sounds like you could have been Elise's hiking guide," Rick commented.

"That would have been nice," I said, "especially since I still don't know the area and surrounding counties well. Thank God I had my GPS to get me from place to place."

"So, you never got to do much around here?" Glenn asked.

"That's right. I never even made it to the local bar to have a drink with a co-worker. I hadn't met many people except for the ones I would work alongside."

"You sound like a sheltered child," T-Dog said, earning small laughs from everyone, and a humored smirk from Daryl.

"Guess you'll have to find the good out in the bad now," Daryl said to me.

I mulled over what he said, especially with my new approach to the world in mind. "You're right. If T-Dog comes across supplies to make BBQ, Glenn gets to deliver it to me and everyone else. I can help Rick teach Carl, and Sophia if she wants, how to fish if we can rig up some makeshift fishing poles. And you, Daryl, get to be my hiking guide," I said with a laugh at my random and highly unlikely scenario.

Everyone chuckled at the thought of somewhat having the experiences we discussed. "I think Andrea and Amy would enjoy hiking, too."

Surprisingly, Daryl somewhat agreed to the idea. "I may go 'long with it. But if we come across a deer, you and the two blondies better shut up fast."

"If you can get Amy to stop tanning long enough," Glenn stated.

What Glenn said was true. Amy really didn't let the ordeal with the walkers affect who she was or what she did. She just went along with it, and accommodated what she wanted into the situation. She would have to learn how to survive more along the way, but I honestly don't see that stopping her from being herself. I think that's what drew me in to befriending her and Andrea. I should have told Jane about Amy when I had the chance. Well, at least now I have something interesting to tell Amy, especially since she was right about me. I'm sure she won't let me live it down.

T-Dog and Rick continued their conversation as Glenn fell back to join me and Daryl. "Still can't believe you hadn't done much in Georgia," Glenn stated.

"Yeah. It was all work and no play for the most part," I answered.

Daryl actually joined in. "Sounds like a pretty shitty vacation for ya now."

"It could probably be worse. I believe I'm with a pretty good group of people," I said with a genuine smile. "It beats a Griswold family vacation."

"Oh, Lord," Glenn commented at my Chevy Chase reference.

We maintained our pace as the sun began to set. The vivid, tropical shades were slowly being replaced by a dark velvet sky speckled with bright stars. A full moon outshone all of the stars. Even if the stars fused together, their light was no match for the moon's light. In a way, I was kind of grateful Merle took the van, as long as he didn't harm anyone at camp, of course. It allowed us to talk, and it allowed me to open up myself more. It was nice getting to know the men better. Daryl still made a couple of remarks about Glenn's ethnicity, and he still did not use the correct term. As I opened myself up, I got to know the others better, especially Rick and Daryl. I hadn't talked to Rick much, but my observations about him being a good man were correct. It was nice to hear a couple of hilarious short stories involving him and Shane. Although I have been talking to Daryl, this time we didn't talk about the walkers or who would be the first group members to die. I asked him what got him into hunting. Although I had family members who hunted for sport, I didn't know much about it. He was definitely an outdoorsman. He even returned the questioning by asking what made me want to be a forensic investigator. Small talk was still possible in this world.

However, it was short lived for the time being. As we approached the outside perimeter of the quarry, we heard gunshots. Without glancing at one another, we ran to reach the camp. I pulled my handgun from my waistband, ready to face the walkers at camp. I knew there would be walkers, but I wasn't prepared for the sight before me. Screams of fear and pain pierced through my ears. Everyone was running, either running toward safety or running to kill a walker. Shots were fired from multiple points. I had no idea where the guys went since we took our own paths once we reached camp. I shot at each decaying walker I spotted. One of Morales's kids was in the open, tears streaming down her face as she couldn't find a way to escape. I ran to her, and quickly shot the walker who was stumbling to her. I pushed her to the direction of the RV where most of the others were, including Lori and Carl. "Go!"

Shane stepped away from the RV as he continued to protect Lori and Carl. I heard a different piercing scream, and I turned in the direction of it. It was Sophia, and a walker was shuffling up to her. She was frozen in place as the high pitch scream escaped her lungs again. I realized why she couldn't move. The walker which was wavering up to her was her father, Ed. He was lurched over as if his spine was broken, and a huge chunk was missing from one of his arms. Blood covered his entire form. Shane was closer to them than I was, and I was certain he could have seen them, especially as he looked around before aiming his gun on a different walker which was closer to the RV. Closer to some of the others, including Lori and Carl.

Shane moved up closer, directly in my path, yet he still didn't seem to notice the distress taking place where Sophia stood. Without thinking, I ran in Sophia's direction. I heard someone yell my name, and it sounded like Daryl. I wouldn't know why until later. As I ran, I used the strength I had, mainly due to adrenaline, to shove Shane out of my way. I paid no attention as I heard him yell "what the hell," followed by a gun shot. I aimed my handgun right in the middle of walker Ed's head, and squeezed the trigger. He collapsed to the side, and I snatched Sophia's hand in order to lead her to the RV. Carol pulled Sophia to her side as if she could shield her daughter away from it all, away from the entire massacre of the dead and the living.

The thundering bangs of gunshots finally stopped echoing. The dead were finally lifeless; their bodies sprawled throughout the whole camp. The sound of sobs and crickets were the only noises. I glanced around to see how many people survived. I only knew Ed was one of ours who didn't make it, which really didn't bother me much.

As I turned to face the RV, that was when I noticed Andrea kneeling over someone. I jogged over to her, and I realized it was Amy that she was kneeling over.

Amy.

The one who, without even knowing it, helped me to realize my strategy for the new world was completely wrong. I had planned on telling her that, and thanking her for it as well. My stomach dropped, and my heart clenched in pain. Why did someone so young, so full of life have to be attacked? Why did it have to be someone who kept such a strong and positive perspective about life, even though hell took over earth? The people who have lost their lives since the outbreak began didn't deserve that to happen to them, but Amy especially didn't deserve it.

I felt tears form to the brim of my eyes, due to spill over at any moment. I slowly walked over to Andrea and Amy. At first, I wasn't sure if I should intrude on Andrea. She was grieving over her little sister. I didn't have that type of relationship with either of them. However, if Amy was still here, I think she would have gone over to support whoever it was that was grieving.

I kneeled down beside Andrea, placing my hand on her shoulder in comfort. As I looked at Amy's once spirited blue eyes, the tears finally spilled over and streamed down my face. It would be easy to feel silly being so emotional over this, over someone I wasn't completely close to yet. However, I still considered her a friend, and it wasn't fair someone like her fell victim to a walker. Even during this time, she was someone who would someday make a difference. She just seemed like that type of person.

Andrea's tear stained faced turned toward me. She patted my hand to tell me it was alright I was there. "She asked about you while you all were gone," she said, her voice had a mournful hitch to it. "We went fishing with Dale's gear, and said it would have been 'cool' if you could have joined us. She joked around, saying you could do some sort of CSI thing to track where all the big ones were."

I had a bittersweet smile as I stared back down at Amy. I felt like her open blue eyes were making things harder, especially for Andrea. I gently closed her eyes as Andrea pushed back some of Amy's blonde hair, some strands of it stained with blood.

"I could tell she kind of looked up to you, Elise. You were in a criminal justice field like I was, and she admired that. You would have been a great person for her to look up to."

"That's the best compliment a person could ask for," I replied. "But you are not giving yourself enough credit. She looked up to your more than you could tell, even when you two had disagreements. Don't ever doubt that."

"Thank you, Elise."

Although she had a bittersweet smile on her face from my words, tears still cascaded down her face. I knew she needed time by herself just to grieve, and to be with her sister one last time. Perhaps even get anything said to her that she didn't get the chance to say. I gazed down at Amy one last time, silently thanking her for what she done. I patted Andrea's shoulder one last time before leaving her to mourn.

Although a lot of work had to be done after the attack, it was still much too dark to do anything. People were in the RV, and also in their vehicles instead of their tents. Even if they couldn't sleep yet, they had the security of metal instead of waterproof tent material. Dale and T-Dog were atop the RV on an intense watch. Glenn and Morales volunteered to walk the perimeter. Rick comforted his family while Carol comforted Sophia.

As I walked away from Andrea and Amy, I wiped the tears from my eyes, although I knew more would probably replace them. I was lost in the same thoughts that were plaguing my mind since the attack, so I didn't notice Shane stomping up to me from my right. He tightly grasped my arm in his hand, and jerked me around to face him. "Elise," he growled darkly, "what the hell was that about back there?"

I stared at him through eyes coated in a thin layer of tears. I had no idea what he was talking about, unless he meant me sitting with Andrea and Amy. However, he wouldn't care about that. "What are you talking about?"

His grip didn't relax at my confusion. "During the attack, you practically shoved me into a damn walker."

I was still lost until it dawned on me: Shane's exclamation followed by a gunshot. I didn't look around when I ran toward Sophia. My eyes went wide when I realized what all had happened in that moment. "Oh my God. I had no idea; I - I didn't see a walker near you at the time. I only –"

He cut me off instead of letting me finish. "How could you not pay attention, Elise?! You're supposed to be so observant and whatnot! You didn't think a walker could be near someone? Not think to check before barreling off to wherever?"

My sympathy for him quickly disappeared, and it was replaced with anger. I stared at him, my body language communicating my disbelief. "Not pay attention?! Are you kidding me?! You were so focused on protecting the people who _already_ at the RV, when some of the ones there could do that, that you didn't notice Sophia about to be attacked by her dead asshole of a father! And you were closer to her than I was! That was why I went 'barreling off!' Hell, you were also closer to the walker I apparently shoved you into. Why didn't you notice it? Didn't think to check for the safety of the people who were _already_ safe, especially compared to Sophia?"

Calling Shane out only added fuel to his blazing resentment. He didn't like his authority, leadership, and protective ability challenged. He must have thought I would be one to keep my mouth shut. Not anymore. "I am looking out for everyone here, including you and Sophia. You can think what you want, but I still see no reason for you to have to run through like, shoving people in your way into the walkers."

I huffed at him and his unbelievable defense. "I did what I had to in order to save Sophia. I wasn't going to run in circle in order to avoid everything that was between me and her. You shot the walker, and you're still here. Look at this however you want, Shane, but I know exactly what I did and why I did it."

He gently released my arm, so his animosity may have subsided somewhat. However, his eyes told me otherwise. "I ain't the one that shot the walker." With that, he walked off.

I stared at him, appalled by his outburst at me. This was not the Shane I worked with. I believe I had a more valid reason for what I did, especially since he was closer to Sophia. Sorrow and irritation were mixed together as I sighed and rubbed my temples. As I began to resume my path, I heard footsteps. I turned on heel, and was surprised to see it was not Shane coming back for round two. It was Daryl.

"Ya alright?" He asked. "Me and some of the others saw you and Shane goin' at it."

It was the first time I heard him ask anyone that sort of question. "Yeah. He was just blowing up over something that happened during the attack."

"I know. Saw it as it happened. I hollered at ya when I saw the walker that ya accidentally shoved Shane into. I was the one who shot it, though I may slightly regret that now," he said with a hint of cruelty in his voice. "Due to the angle it came out at, there's no way ya would have seen it since you made a bee line for that lil girl."

"Well, at least someone believes me. I can't believe Shane would just jump to that conclusion. If someone really, really wanted to get rid of him or shove him into a walker, I think they would have done that a long time ago. Actually, Merle probably would have done that. No offense or anything like that."

Daryl didn't seem offended, probably because I was right. "I told ya already that Shane wasn't as good as he seemed." I remembered, but I really didn't want to believe it. "He probably don't give a shit what happens to most of us," he continued. "Lori and her kid were already safe at that RV, the others were just lucky extras."

Even with Rick back, Shane wanted to maintain his leader role and family role with Lori and Carl. "I may have to admit you're right soon."

"Ya will. However, you was right 'bout one thing." I gazed at him to continue. "You was right 'bout some of the first people to go. Ya can check Amy off that list."

My heart clenched in fresh pain, and I felt my eyes begin to burn again. "I wish I wasn't right about that. I wish I was completely wrong."

**Moments of normalcy do not last long in The Walking Dead world. I know Walker Ed didn't try to attack Sophia in the show (at least from what I recall), but the fun part of fanfiction is making such small changes. Of course, I don't own the show. Once again, thank you to Aaya123Woods for the "walker shove" idea. Since Elise was pissed at Shane's confrontation, she would probably do it again even if she saw the walker near Shane. Poor Amy. Her character had a lot of potential, I think she could have helped the group retain who they were previously even though they would have to change some in order to survive. Those changes are already occurring. Some for the best, and some for the worst. **


	11. Chapter 11

**As I finish up things for the semester, I am working in more writing time. The weather had been pretty crazy lately, and I hope those in the areas where dangerous storms have been are staying safe.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything pertaining to The Walking Dead.**

As the sun started to rise to begin a new day, the group's spirit did not rise with it. The camp was attacked only hours ago, but it seemed like it was much longer than that due to the camp's mood. Many people were still in a state of shock and grief, myself included. However, I was still slightly pissed off at Shane for jumping to conclusions. Originally, I didn't have any problems with Shane, but his changing attitudes were starting to change my mind about him. He and Daryl were still mad for their own reasons. Shane still seethed resentment toward me, and Daryl was still pissed off at the group who abandoned his brother. However, Daryl had calmed down throughout the day yesterday, but Shane had not.

Throughout the night, Andrea never left Amy's side. She would shift her sitting position from time to time, but her eyes never left her sister's pale face, which was slightly stained with blood. I visited with them periodically, but I could tell Andrea still needed the grieving time to herself. However, other people did not share the same opinion.

"Can't just leave Amy like that. We need to deal with it same as the others," Shane commented.

Still running on fumes of animosity, my head snapped to Shane's direction. "Amy is not an _it_, Shane. Yes, I understand we need to make sure Amy does not come back, but she is still Andrea's little sister. Andrea knows what will happen, but she needs her time to process and grieve. In case you haven't noticed, we don't have a funeral home here to do this the 'old fashion way' anymore."

Shane appeared stunned as I stood up to him once again, but he quickly covered it up with an icy glare. If looks could kill, I would have been a walker in no time. I bet Shane would enjoy that. Rick decided to talk to Andrea, but he didn't choose his words wisely. Andrea reacted by pulling her gun on him. "I know how the safety works." Rick swiftly backed down. I was glad he wasn't going to be pushy like Shane would have been.

Although not at the same level as Shane, Daryl was still not fond of the idea. "Y'all can't be serious. Let that girl hamstring us? The dead girl's a time bomb." At least he didn't Amy an _it_.

"What do you suggest?" Rick calmly asked.

"Take the shot. Clean, in the brain from here. Hell, I can hit a turkey between the eyes from this distance."

I sighed, frustrated people were still discussing all of this. "I don't doubt your shooting abilities," I said to Daryl, "but that is a bad idea. It will make things worse, and we don't need the possible drama that would result from it. Andrea would come after you, and I wouldn't protect you from her wrath."

"I don't need nobody to protect me," he replied, a slight glare in his eye. Although I didn't mean it literally, I also didn't mean to offend him.

"Just leave her alone. She knows what will happen. Besides, we still have the bodies to deal with."

However, more arguing accompanied us all while working. As I dragged one of the unknown walkers to the burn pile, I heard Daryl and Glenn arguing. "Y'all left my brother for dead! Ya had this comin'!" Daryl yelled, and stomped off to the farthest walker.

Glenn glanced over at me as I walked up to him. "I didn't think everyone would be this mad about everything going on," he commented. "I mean, I knew we would all be at each other's throats from time to time, but this seems a bit extreme."

"It's better to let it out than keep it bottled up," I replied. "I've learned that the hard way, now. We all just need to cool down. Some Midol would probably help some people, too."

Glenn grinned, lightening up for the first time today. "I'll be sure to find some for Daryl and Shane on the next run."

I laughed, and walked over to help Daryl. Before dragging each walker to the designated pile, Daryl was stabbing each one through the head with a pick axe. I pulled my knife out, and helped him to ensure each walker was finally dead.

"You know," I said, breaking the silence, "Merle didn't make it back to camp, but I believe he is still alive."

Daryl stopped to wipe the sweat from his forehead. "I know that. At least someone else agrees with me. He's probably still too pissed off at the people here, and decided to go off on his own, hopin' that I'd take off to track him."

I hadn't thought of that. This time, both brothers thought a step ahead of me, and one of them wasn't even here. I was also startled that Daryl shared that possible plan with me.

Before I had the chance to think it through, I blurted out my next question. "Are you going to?"

We were each dragging a body to the burn pile while I stole a glance at him from the corner of my eye.

"Thought 'bout it," he admitted. "But decided against it. Safety in numbers here, even though I could do without some of 'em."

"Honestly, you could probably handle it out there all by yourself if you ever wanted to ditch us." However, although I wasn't completely sure why, I hated the idea of him leaving the group, especially since he and I can now tolerate one another.

"I know I could," he answered confidently. "Only a few here I can't stand all the time. I can deal with you better than any of 'em."

"Honestly, I'm amazed I'm not on your shit list."

His lips twitched into a smirk. "Nah. Doubt you'll ever be on it."

I guess that was my compliment he still owed me. Before I could respond with my own smart ass remark, Jacqui yelled for everyone's attention. "It's Jim! He's been bit!"

* * *

I felt absolutely horrible for Jim. Almost everyone was discussing his fate as if he wasn't even there, as if he didn't have the right to say anything for his own life. Anger consumed the camp's atmosphere once again, and Rick's final word about Jim stayed strong. After the issue with Jim, I went back to helping Daryl with the bodies. Due to his anger, I remained silent this time. I felt it was best for him to sift through whatever he was thinking. Silently, I hoped he wasn't reconsidered leaving the group to track down his brother.

As he was about to stab walker Ed, Carol came up to him. She wanted to be the one to make sure her abusive remained dead. I decided it was best that I stepped away from her. It wasn't the first time I'd witness the abused spouse release the rage that had been building up for years, but it was the first time for this new world. With what strength she had, she raised the pick axe high above her head. She hesitated for a moment as she stared down at her lifeless husband. Then, as tears began to trail down her face, she smashed pick axe into Ed's bloody and bruised face. She repeatedly hit him with the pick axe as crimson blood, brain matter, and bruised flesh flew up into the air with each strike.

"When I shot him last night, I aimed for the back of the head," I said to Daryl, who was standing beside me.

"I know," he replied. "Ya didn't miss either. How come ya ain't stopping her?"

"For the same reason you aren't."

Although he probably thought I didn't hear him, I heard him mutter, "Ya don't know the half of it."

After Dale left Andrea's side, I decided to walk back over to check on her. It seemed I was one, along with Dale, that she didn't mind to check on her, mainly because we were also there for Amy. I stopped, halfway to them, when I noticed Amy's arm twitching. Andrea also noticed. Amy's eyes, which I closed hours ago, slowly fluttered open again. They were now a dark blue, and severely bloodshot. Strange moans came from her throat as she slowly moved her hand through the air. Andrea continued to lean over her, and walker Amy's eyes locked onto her older sister.

"I'm sorry for not ever being there," Andrea said. "I always thought there'd be more time. I'm here now, Amy. I'm here. I love you."

As Amy started to reach more for Andrea, Andrea placed the gun below Amy's chin, and squeezed the trigger. Amy's lifeless hand fell to the ground, and more tears erupted from Andrea's eyes. Fresh tears formed in my eyes as I sat down next to Andrea. I wrapped my arm around her to let her know I was there for her as she cried into my shoulder. I looked back to see Daryl and some of the others watching. Unexpectedly, Daryl nodded at me to tell me I was doing that right thing. From his acknowledgement, perhaps I wouldn't be on his shit list after all.

* * *

After the funerals, I saw Lori and Carl venture into the RV to check on Jim. Carl seemed a bit reluctant and afraid to go visit Jim. Lori probably had him to go with her while Rick and Shane discussed the options. To me, it was clear Rick was the better leader, but Shane wouldn't let go of that title so easily. Until then, the group had two co-leaders. Meanwhile, Andrea requested to be left alone at her sister's grave, and we all honored her request. Of course, Dale kept an eye on her with his binoculars from time to time. Carol and Sophia were sitting by the fire pit area, and both seemed to be lost in thought. I went over to sit with them, and to see how they were doing, mainly Sophia.

"Hi, Elise," Sophia said with a slight smile.

"Hey, Sophia. How are you and your mom holding up?"

The only reason I risked asking such a question was because I have many times before, and I could also tell the two were not affected by Ed's death.

"We're doing well," Carol spoke for the both of them. "It's still shocking that Ed is gone, but I can't help but to think Sophia and I also have new found freedom. I realize that has to seem cruel and heartl-"

"No, Carol, it doesn't sound cruel and heartless. Whatever he did to you and your daughter, that was cruel and heartless."

Carol smiled slightly as she pulled Sophia closer to her. "After everything that happened, I didn't get the chance to thank you for saving Sophia. I couldn't handle losing her during the attack."

"Anyone would have done the same thing."

"Not Ed."

Before I could respond, Sophia engulfed me in an unexpected hug, which I returned. I wasn't much for little kids, but Carl, Sophia, and Morales's kids were an exception.

"Elise, I'd like to get your opinion on something."

I looked up to see Rick walking toward me with Shane following behind. Shane barely acknowledged my presence. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Daryl entered my peripheral vision, watching whatever was about to happen.

"What are your thoughts on the next move," Rick asked, "the CDC or Fort Benning?"

I heard bits and pieces of their earlier conversations about them, but I didn't pay much attention. For once.

Shane decided to speak for me. "She's in similar fields as us, and she probably knows Fort Benning is our best bet. Not only do they have military there, but they probably recruited area officers to help defend the area. Crime scene technicians and others in the field were recruited for other jobs when all of this started. Fort Benning may have done the same thing."

"Shane does have a point," I admitted against my will. "However, if things went south, who knows how many walkers are there. The CDC would be protected, especially if they were trying to figure out what's going on."

"Before Glenn found me, I heard they were working on a cure. Even if it's a small chance, that is what Jim needs," Rick said.

"Then that is where Jim needs to go," I said. "However, we can't be certain what condition the CDC is in. Each one has its risks."

Rick nodded in agreement. "That's what I needed to hear. Thank you, Elise."

Rick and Shane left to discuss the situation more while walking the perimeter.

Eventually, Shane agreed with Rick's plan, and we would all be leaving for the CDC first thing in the morning.

* * *

Before the sun was completely up, everyone was already packing up their tents and supplies. Since the amount of supplies had increased, for the time being, they were being pack into everyone's vehicles. Dale's Winnebago was packed enough as it was, so the extra vehicles were handy, at least for now.

Glenn approached me as I packed up my tent. He folded my cot for me, and followed me to my car. "Thank you, Glenn."

"No problem. Would it be alright if I hitch a ride with you? With everything that's happened, and Jim and Andrea in the RV, I'm not sure I can deal with all that at the moment."

I understood his point. It would be hard to endure the ride to CDC, especially with Jim's agonizing cries. "Sure, that is fine with me," I said as I fished my keys from my pocket. I had an extra car key. I removed the key, and handed it to Glenn. "Here, in case you need to go on any runs or anything."

Glenn smiled as he pocketed the key. "Thanks. I just wish I could have drove that Charger a few more times before Shane and the others acted like vultures and salvaged it for parts."

I laughed because the expression on his face when they did that was priceless. "You'll have to do with my car until you find another one to steal."

I glanced over to the Dixon camp, which still only had one Dixon. Daryl had broken down his tent, and packed his and his brother's supplies. He was double checking the tie downs on Merle's bike when I noticed his backpack on the ground. As I walked over to him, I saw most of the bench seat and passenger floorboard were home to other supplies, including his crossbow. He acknowledged my presence, and jumped down from the truck railing.

"Rick say when we're ready to head out?" He inquired.

I shook my head. "Not yet. Morales and his family are almost done packing up their car. I see you're running low on room in your truck. If you want, you can toss some of your stuff in my car. Toyotas have enough trunk space to fit a dead body, and most can fit at least two."

He smirked as he picked up his backpack, and the vinyl bag which housed his tent. He started walking toward my car, and I followed behind him. "I must say," I started, "I figured you would put up a fight just over me offering to help you out a bit."

He placed his stuff in the trunk of my car, and briefly glanced at me before closing the trunk lid. "I guess the right person asked me this time."

This time? Before I could ask, Shane called for everyone to join him and Rick. As Shane was about to go over the plan again, Morales spoke up. He and his family had decided to separate from the group in hopes of reaching extended family. Rick provided them with a gun and ammo, and wished them the best. We all wished them the best, and we also knew they would faces risks, and so would we.

**As Daryl becomes nicer and whatnot to Elise, I hope I am keeping him in character for the most part. That is one of my concerns for the story. Feedback is always appreciated!**


	12. Chapter 12

**Ugh, final exam week. I'm just glad I only have one I actually have to go to on campus. Anyway, I want to say thank you to Crystal Forest for her input on using Daryl's POV. I was iffy about using Daryl's POV, but she encouraged me to use it again. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything pertaining to The Walking Dead. I also do not own anything related to the allusions used in this chapter or any chapter. **

Our caravan to the CDC looked more like a dysfunctional family road tripping to a family reunion. T-Dog drove his van, which carried a bulk of the supplies, and Shane drove his Jeep. Unlike when he first arrived at the quarry, he was completely alone in his Jeep. Daryl was also alone in his truck, except for Merle's motorcycle, which was thoroughly strapped down. Rick, Lori, Carl, Carol, and Sophia were piled into Carol's Cherokee. I could only imagine how much safer Carol and Sophia felt in that vehicle since Ed was not in it. Glenn and I were in my car, and I was behind the wheel. Glenn pretended to be mad that he had to ride shotgun. In Dale's Winnebago, he chauffeured Andrea, Jacqui, and Jim.

Well, Jim was along for the ride for a little while. Eventually, we all had to come to a stop. Jacqui said Jim could not endure much more of the pain. With every bump along the road, intense pain shot throughout his body. Earlier, he had mentioned that, to him, his bones felt like glass. After the ride in the RV, it probably seemed like his glass bones had shattered into piercing slivers, jabbing into every part of his body. At his request, Rick and Shane carried him out of the RV, and gently placed him under a large oak tree. He wanted to pass away as peacefully as possibly, with the gentle breeze to carry his soul away to his family. It would have been a beautiful sentiment, but most of us knew what would happen to Jim. At least to what was left of him beneath the oak tree.

* * *

After leaving Jim behind, we all made it to the CDC. We were parked in a line across from the building, and Glenn and I were at the end of the line. Gazing out the windshield, the dead littered the road, grass, and sidewalks. It was apparent military force had attempted to block the walkers, but their attempts did not completely work. Makeshift barricades were slowly falling apart. Not even protective military gear could protect the courageous soldiers.

"I've seen some horrible crime scenes, thinking I had seen it all," I said to Glenn, my voice barely a whisper, "but this. . . this is worse than all my cases combined. It's gone from a war zone to an abandoned grave yard."

"Yeah," Glenn mumbled in response. He was also focused on the scene just outside the safety of my car.

I noticed the RV door open, and that was our cue to step out. Glenn and I both had our weapons ready as we brought up the back of the group. Daryl hung back to wait for us, and he continuously scanned the area for walkers attempting to move toward us. However, it was hard to distinguish which bodies were walkers, and which ones were finally deceased. As we approached the CDC building, the doors and windows were heavily locked down by barriers. There was no way for us to see inside. My heart sunk at the site. This was supposed to be a safe destination. There wasn't even a way for us to break in.

Anger and panic took over the group, which drew the attention of nearby walkers.

"Shit," I mumbled. "Can you all please debate this quietly?!" I walked up to the walker near one of the doors. He was slowly standing to his feet. I stabbed him in the back of the head before he had the chance to stumble over to the group.

As I joined the group again, Daryl precisely aimed his crossbow at a faltering walker, and one of his bolts swiftly impaled the walker's decaying forehead. "Ya led us to a damn graveyard!" He exclaimed.

"Rick made a call!" Shane defended. However, I knew deep down he agreed with Daryl. After all, his plan to go to Fort Benning lost to Rick's plan.

"He made the wrong damn call then!"

I hastily glanced back and forth between the sea of lifeless bodies and Rick. He was at a loss as to what to do until he spotted a security camera. He stared directly into it, and pleaded with any possible viewers to let us in. As the group continued to turn against him, I was a step away from joining them. I did not want to die a stone's throw away from the place we thought was safe. Shane was about to pull Rick away when Rick exclaimed the camera moved.

"It moved! Someone has to be in there! Please! Let us in! There are women and children out here!"

"We may not have enough gas to make it to Fort Benning," I stated, "but we need to leave this place!"

As we hastily stepped away from the building, a sudden, loud noise filled the air. We all turned back to the building, and the barriers were lifted up to reveal bright lights. Damn, there actually was someone watching the camera feed.

Quickly and with weapons ready, we entered the CDC. No signs of walkers. No signs of people. Daryl and I, who were still at the back, shot one another confused looks.

"Anybody infected?"

I looked up to see a man with faded blonde hair on the upper level. His pristine white lab coat clashed with the gun he aimed at us.

Rick spoke for the group. "One of our group was, but he didn't make it."

"What do you want?"

"A chance."

"That's asking a lot these days."

"I know."

Honesty was the best approach, and the man, Dr. Edwin Jenner, granted us access as long as we submitted to a blood test. After we quickly collected some of our things, Dr. Jenner led us to an elevator to go down to a lower level.

With no elevator music to prevent awkward silence, Daryl decided to ask about Jenner's gun. "Doctors always go 'round packin' heat like that?"

"There were plenty left lying around. I familiarized myself," Jenner answered. "However, you people seem harmless enough." He glanced down at Carl with a humorous grin on his face. "Except you. I'll have to keep an eye on you."

Carl smiled at the light hearted attention. Before Jenner led us to Zone 5, I already had my hunch that he was alone here. He confirmed it by talking to his computer.

"Vi, say hello to our guests. Tell them, welcome."

_"Hello, guests. Welcome."_

"At least she didn't break out into song like the characters in that Disney movie," I said to Sophia. I could tell she was nervous about having her blood drawn.

She glanced up at me with a shy smile. "You mean 'Be Our Guest' from _Beauty and the Beast_."

"Yep, that's the one."

Carol gave me a thankful smile, and Sophia seemed more at ease as she held out her arm for Dr. Jenner. Throughout the process, I observed Dr. Jenner. At the moment, he was strictly business. He didn't ask about our walker encounters. He didn't even ask how we were even able to make it here.

Daryl sat beside me, and I could tell he was observing Jenner as well. "He has somethin' he don't wanna say," he stated in a low whisper.

"I believe you're right."

He flashed a smirk at me. "'Bout damn time ya realized I can be right 'bout _people_."

"I guess I should explain all of that," I cautiously admitted. I felt like the stubborn teenager who was reluctant to admit she was wrong.

"Ya already apologized. Might as well get that rest of it out."

However, the explanations would have to wait. When Andrea almost collapsed after her blood was drawn, Jenner said there was plenty of food for everyone to have a warm, filling meal.

* * *

Jenner was good to his word, and the table before us was a feast of spaghetti, sauce, and bread. The Italian aroma of the food permeated the air, and our empty stomachs were aware of it. For us, it seemed like a meal meant for royalty. We all tried to eat somewhat slowly in order to savor each delicious bite, but our growling stomachs had other plans in mind. Not only was there food, but there were alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. Sophia and Carl enjoyed their glasses of bubbly Coca-Cola while we adults savored wine and whiskey. Dale coaxed Lori into allowing Carl to sample red wine, but Carl thought it was disgusting. We all laughed at the young boy's reaction. For the most part, we were all more relaxed. Even Andrea, who was sitting beside me, managed a few small smiles. I wanted to talk to her, but I knew she had to do it in her own time. I smiled at the scene before me as I sipped my glass of White Zinfandel wine.

As Glenn finished his first glass of wine, he reached for an unopened can of soda. Daryl stopped him. "Keep drinkin', little man. I want to see how red your face can get."

"I believe now would be good time for the two former police officers and CSI chick to intervene," Glenn said, although he still reached for a bottle of wine with everyone laughing.

"Don't look at me," I told him. "I have plans for an after dinner drink with whatever kind of whiskey is left."

As the forks continued to clink against the plates, Rick stood up with his glass in hand. "It seems to me we haven't thanked our host properly."

I smiled as I raised my glass and thanked him as the others did. Daryl's _Booyah!_ made us all laugh. However, the moment was short lived courtesy of Shane Walsh. "So, when are you gonna tell us what the hell happened here, doc?"

I flashed him an _are you serious_ look, but he only ignored it. I glanced to Andrea, and she tensed back up.

"We're celebrating, Shane," Rick stated in a strict tone.

Shane only countered him. "This is why we're here, right? To find some answers? A cure? Instead, we only found him and his computer."

I took a bigger swig of wine as Jenner began to tell his story. "Many people left to be with their families when the outbreak first started. The ones who stayed eventually decided to 'opt out' when things got worse. Many people committed suicide. It was a bad time."

"But you didn't leave," Andrea pointed out.

"No. I just kept working."

Jenner's silence indicted he was done discussing what happened to his friends and coworkers.

"Dude, you're such a buzzkill, man," Glenn commented to Shane as he refilled his glass.

Shane threw his hands up in self-defense. "Just figured we all want some answers. Wouldn't some of ya'll agree, such as you, Elise. After all, getting the answers is a big thing for you."

I didn't want to be dragged in to try to defend him. "Yes, but I've learned to do that at the appropriate time."

"No time like the present. Speaking of which, you never told me exactly what happened to Jones."

At the mention of Jones, Rick glanced back and forth between me and Shane. I didn't know if Shane had told Rick about Jones or not, but now was not the time. Daryl held my gaze. He was the only one I had told about Jones. What happened to him was not something for supper time small talk, especially with the kids and Andrea.

"I don't think now is the time for that," Andrea stated, her voice fairly normal. "We can probably guess what happened. We don't need the details right now."

I nodded at Andrea in thanks. If it wasn't for the kids and alcohol, an awkward silence would have hung in the air.

"We should play the game Elise taught me and Carl when we were at camp," Sophia said with a shy smile. In her own innocent way, she returned the group's atmosphere to relaxed and casual. "It's called Two Truths and A Lie."

T-Dog chuckled, "That should be interesting with all the booze going around."

After telling everyone the simple rules, almost everyone agreed to play if they were asked to take a turn for the kids' sake. Jenner mainly watched from his distant seat. He appeared to be in deep thought. Perhaps he was recalling the last time he and his coworkers were around the table like we were now.

"I'll start!" Carl stated with an excited grin. His parents watched him with a smile, happiness prominent on their features. "So, which is my lie? One, I know how to play basketball. Two, I know how to play baseball. Three, I know to fish."

"From what you dad said once before, you are lying about how to fish," T-Dog said with a chuckle.

We had to watch what we said due to the alcohol in our systems, and due to the presence of the kids. Lori was definitely a light weight who had to stop while she was ahead. If not, her son would be scarred for life. "Alright, Elise," she said, "please take a turn, and someone please get the wine away from me."

Carol moved the wine bottle away from Lori. She only had one glass of wine. Perhaps in order to supervise us. After my first interactions with her at the quarry, I could tell she was a strong, motherly figure. She was now the designated den mother, and was much better for the job compared to Lori.

I took a sip of the whiskey I had poured in my glass. Glenn had commented that he thought only men drank whiskey, and I pointed out that was a sexist stereotype. However, I was nowhere near as intoxicated as Lori was. I knew what I could handle, and I wasn't up to that point. I didn't want to be because I had plans to investigate parts of the CDC when the time was right.

"Well, let's see," I said as I racked my brain for something to say. "When I was in college, I got to work with Dr. Bill Bass to do some research at the 'Body Farm.' That was an interesting year. Before the world went to hell, I was studying for my motorcycle license exam. I've rode fourwheelers and dirt bikes since I was a kid. So, after moving, I decided it was time to invest in a bike. Lastly, I was pretty good at playing games on my Xbox 360. It was funny when I kicked a guy's butt at a game, especially since they tend to make sexist remarks like Glenn did earlier."

"Ha ha," Glenn said sarcastically. "And the first thing you said about a body farm is a lie. Never heard of anything like that."

"I think the motorcycle is a lie," Andrea joined in. "I think you would have mentioned it to Amy, and Amy would have said something."

"Nah," Daryl said while looking at me. "That seems true to me." Although other people sided with one of the first two items, Daryl never stated which one he would go with. He seemed to be analyzing me, perhaps like what I did to him when we first met.

"You're all wrong," I said with a laugh. "I didn't have an Xbox. I owned a PS3, and I still kicked butt at gaming. It's your turn now, Daryl."

"I'll take mine some other time. I think we're all ready to hit the hay."

Although he had a point, I was disappointed. I was curious and wanted to learn more about him. However, I could tell a couple of people needed to hit the hay before they hit the floor.

Jenner led us through a hallway, and pointed out to different rooms. I listened as he spoke, but I also paid close attention to my surroundings, and how the halls connected.

"The couches are comfortable, but there are some cots in storage if you want to pull them out. The kids might enjoy some time in the rec room, but don't plug in the arcade games. Basically, don't plug in anything needing power. If you take a shower, don't use up all the hot water."

Glenn and T-Dog glanced back at the rest of us with cartoon like grins plastered on their faces.

"Hot water?!" Glenn said.

"That's what the man said," T-Dog replied with the same kid on Christmas morning grin.

My investigation would have to wait a little while longer. I could not pass on an immediate hot shower. I walked into one of the vacant rooms, and dumped my duffel bag onto the couch. I placed my handgun on knife on the wooden sofa table. After rummaging through my duffel bag for my pajama shorts and AC/DC t-shirt, I practically ran to one of the bathrooms. Once the hot water splashed against my skin, I smiled and relaxed into the water's warm embrace. Postponing my investigation a little while was absolutely worth it.

* * *

**Daryl's POV**

Although I didn't show it, I was glad we all somehow made it to the CDC. Well, almost all of us. Jim decided he didn't want to try and make it there. I didn't go up to him to say goodbye and all that crap. I didn't know him that well, but I did acknowledge his decision. Actually, I respect him even more for makin' that choice. Not only did he go out his way, but he saved us at the same time. Who knows what would've happened if he turned, and the others didn't notice.

Not sure what to think 'bout Jenner. I think he's hidin' somethin', and Elise does, too. Seems there's more to her quick judgment 'bout me, but she didn't get the chance to tell me what it was. Whatever it was that happened at the old folks' home, and after Amy's death must have affected her. 'Least made her act like more of her real self instead of an asshole authority figure like Shane. Well, Shane was an asshole anyway.

Best thing so far 'bout the CDC was the hot meal and booze. Being 'round the table like that made it seem like the shit outside never happened. It was like that as long as Shane kept his mouth shut. Not only did he bring Rick up into the situation, but he also asked Elise about the Jones guy he, Elise, and Rick worked with. I could tell I was the only one she told 'bout that by her reaction. Andrea spoke up before I had the chance to. One of the kids, the little girl, tried to make everythin' go back to how it was by playing some game. Pretty interestin' responses from some people, 'specially the ones who were pretty much wasted. I mainly used it as the chance to observe the people. I hadn't had much of a chance to do so when Merle was around, only a little bit from time to time. I was still pissed he wasn't here, but it also gave me some freedom I wouldn't have had otherwise.

When the drunk Lori practically begged Elise to take her turn, I moved slightly forward to watch Elise. After she apologized and started talking to me more for some reason, I became more curious about her. Although I didn't tell her, I liked talkin' with her. I could tell she still had some beliefs that weren't true, probably due to whatever case she mentioned. However, she still wasn't like annoying Lori or unsure Carol. Thank God. She also wasn't bad to look at either, but looks don't speak for the person. I've witnessed that with some of the girls Merle would bring home from the bar.

I pretty much observed her like I've caught her doing when observing people. The others bickered back and forth about what her lie was. I heard her mentioned she went to UT, so she probably did research involvin' dead people. It made sense she wanted a motorcycle if she grew up ridin' dirt bikes and fourwheelers. I didn't know anything 'bout videogames. I guessed that was her lie. Once again, I was right 'bout people.

After the food and booze, Jenner led us to a hall of rooms, and the rooms had showers. Damn, it was like stayin' at some resort after life at the camp. After I took my shower, I decided to go back to the kitchen to pick up a bottle of whiskey to take back to my room. It seemed like Jenner was best friends with Jim Bean and Jack Daniels. On my way to the kitchen, I saw someone goin' down a hall Jenner didn't use when showin' us around. The sight of loose curls told me it was Elise. What the hell was she up to?

**Thoughts on using Daryl's POV again? Yay for sweet little Sophia intervening at the table so Shane would stay quiet lol. With the alcohol, who knows what he would have said in the game, and they would all probably be horrible truths. **


	13. Chapter 13

**Final exams are over! Thank goodness! Now, summer time stuff will be going on, but I still will be writing. However, I don't know how my updating schedule will be. It will depend on what all I will be involved with this summer. One thing I know I will be doing is training my chocolate lab puppy. This chapter is primarily dialogue based.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything pertaining to The Walking Dead.**

**Elise's POV**

Although it was difficult to leave the comfortable confines of the tile shower and hot water, I knew I had one task to do before going to bed. I fished out my LED flashlight from my duffel bag. It was the same one I used while on the job, and it was just as handy now as it was then. It seemed like everyone had turned in for the night, or they collapsed due to alcohol. Either way, it gave me the go ahead to search for the lab. More than likely, there was more than one lab in this building. However, the one Jenner had to be using should be fairly close to the large computer room called Zone 5.

Except for the small hallway lights along the floor's border, it was relatively dark. I didn't want to switch on my flashlight until I was past the rooms. I didn't want to chance any suspicion, especially from Shane. After what happened at supper, I did not want to deal with him. I arrived at the door I suspected led to the lab. Jenner pointed out other rooms in the hall, such as the recreation room, but he avoided this door altogether. I gently turned the knob, which wasn't locked, and walked into another long hallway. Doors did not line the walls like the previous hallway, so the hallway should lead to something.

Switching on my flashlight, I made my way down the hallway. I eventually reached the end of it, and it widened into a circle, lined with hallway lights along the floor's border. I shifted the flashlight's bright beam to the right side, which was a glass wall with a set of double doors. Bingo! I gently pulled on the doors, but they were securely locked.

"Shit," I mumbled to myself.

Slightly turning back, I found a light switch. A switch for the entire hall would have been at the beginning. Perhaps this one turns on some of the lab lights. I flicked the switch, and the light illuminating from the lab showed me that I was not alone in the hall.

"Holy shit!" I exclaimed in a hushed whisper. I did not hear Daryl come down the hallway. "Are you trying to give me a heart attack?! I didn't hear you or anything!"

He smirked at my reaction. "Gotta learn to be quiet when trackin' in the woods. What the hell you doin' snoopin' 'round up here?"

I felt like a little kid caught with her hand in the cookie jar. "I was just curious as to what all Jenner was working on here."

"Ain't you heard that curiosity killed the cat?"

It was my turn to smirk. "I should have been dead a long time ago, then. Since you're here, you might as well help me." At that, he raised one of his eyebrows at me. I sighed, knowing I would have to admit more to him. "You're obviously very observant, despite that I thought otherwise earlier on. I don't think the others have picked up on it quite yet. Although we can't go inside the lab, we can still look around in it from right here."

"Sounds like ya just gave me 'nother compliment."

"Oh, hush," I laughed in frustration at him. However, it was playful, and I was actually comfortable with it. "Technically, you still owe me one. Anyway, let me know if you see anything that stands out to you."

I took one side of the glass wall, and he stood at the opposite side. I still had my flashlight out in case something that caught my keen eye needed more light.

The lab was once extremely nice and high tech, but something obviously went wrong inside. Almost the entire lab had charred residue that was a gritty, ebony shade.

"What would have caused a fire?" Daryl asked as he continued to scan the destroyed lab.

"Number of possibilities," I answered. "This lab is much more advanced than the ones I've worked in. Jenner said he had stayed to work, so he must have had some sort of accident."

I spotted the remains of an expensive microscope. He had to have been looking at samples. I pointed it out to Daryl. "He could have been looking at samples from walkers, or from bite wounds from people before they turned," I thought aloud. "Perhaps a sample of whatever caused the outbreak."

"No way in hell I'd been close to anything like that," he commented.

"You got that right. The CDC is supposed to be a well-controlled environment. However, I still wouldn't want his job."

"What's with the doors in the back?"

I was intently focused on miniscule details that I did not pay much attention to the very back. Despite the heavy damage, I was able to make out the doors as those which are also used in morgues. Frigid and composed of stainless steel, they were meant to keep the dead preserved until the coroner was finished with autopsies. Then, they were moved to designated funeral homes.

"Morgue freezer it looks like," I stated. "He had some bodies to work with, but it's not guaranteed they're from the outbreak. He or someone else could have been working on something else before the outbreak."

I sighed in disappointment. I was hoping to find out some information about what Jenner had been working on. He didn't seem too keen on sharing details during supper. Instead of finding valuable information, I only found a charred lab housing destroyed evidence.

"Might as well try to get some sleep," I said as I flicked the light off, proceeded back down the hall. Daryl walked in step with me. "That was a total bust."

"Maybe Jenner will talk in the mornin'," Daryl commented. "Before I followed ya, I was 'bout to head to the kitchen for some whiskey. Want me to bring ya some back?"

After my disappointing investigation, a glass of warm whiskey sounded great. "Yeah. You can just bring me a glass by my room if you don't care."

Daryl nodded, and we went our separate ways in the familiar hallway. I left my room door open, and I plopped down on the tan couch. I stared at the maple sofa table in front of me as I thought about the destroyed lab. Surely Jenner would share what he had found out from the lab work, and maybe admit to whatever went wrong. It wasn't like the outbreak was confidential or anything like that. Besides, who would be so important that we would share the information with? Many of the important people were dead or walkers.

Before I could formulate possible interrogation questions to use on Jenner, a random thought popped into my mind. I was usually the one to start an interaction with Daryl, but it was the opposite this time. I guessed he really did move on from completely hating me after the incident with Merle, and my quick judgments. I smiled that I was actually glad I changed my tune, and I was glad I was getting to know Daryl better. I also noticed how he seemed to open up a bit more since his brother was no longer with the group. The real Daryl was gradually being revealed, just as I was slowly revealing my true self to the others. However, the feeling of getting to know Daryl was different compared to that with Glenn and Andrea. Amy, I believe, would have been in the same group with them. I wasn't sure what to make with the feelings involving Daryl. Now would have been the time to utilize logic, but it couldn't be done. It was something the mind could not figure out, at least not at the moment.

My thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the door closing. Daryl sat down on the opposite end of the couch, and placed two glasses on the sofa table. After pouring some of the amber liquid into the both of them, he gently slid one of the glasses down the table to me.

"What," I questioned, "no fancy bartender tricks?"

He slightly chuckled. "Not unless ya want your drink all over the floor. Be a shame to waste good whiskey like that."

We each took a swig of our drinks. The amber liquid warmed my throat, and I felt myself relax after my mediocre investigation. This time, the drinking was more peaceful since I was only talking with Daryl, and not an entire table of people.

"Ya ever gonna tell me what you were 'bout to explain earlier?" He abruptly asked me.

"And I was thinking all the whiskey would make you forget about that," I said with a small laugh.

"Alcohol can never do anythin' like that to a Dixon."

I sighed as I prepared to tell my story. "Before I left Tennessee, I had been working with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation. Things were going great, and I genuinely loved my job. The last case I worked dealt with a murder in a very small town. People hear and read about such small towns, the ones that are on the verge of dying. I had never been to one until then. Hell, Knoxville seemed more like its own state compared to that town.

"Anyway, I thought it would be a basic murder case." A dark chuckle escaped my lips. "After a while, certain crimes just seem basic compared to others. The victim was a local. I worked the crime scene, did some of the lab work, and interrogated suspects and whatnot. Everything was like any other case. The local cops weren't much help, so the other TBI detective and I pretty much took over the entire case. They didn't ask for many details, and that was fine with me.

"The murder involved drugs. Meth, prescription drugs, and 'bath salts.' 'Bath salts', or synthetic drugs, were slowly becoming more popular, so I wasn't surprised to see them pop up. However, the variety of drugs involved shocked me a bit. I kept thinking, how can _all_ of _this_ be going on in such a small town, and the cops haven't stopped it? Or at least be working on trying to stop one of the problems?

"Eventually, we got a couple of possible leads as to where the suspect, actually the killer according to the evidence, would be one night. I didn't want the local cops to help with this. It didn't set well with me. The other detective called in backup from the TBI, but they hadn't arrived yet. I wanted to catch the guy before he had the chance to leave town.

"In all of those CSI shows it seems like some of the main characters end up being potential victims in some sort of big and crazy case. In real life, that doesn't happen all the time, especially on that crazy scale. I've been cussed at and had weapons drawn on me, but I was never buried alive or anything insane like that."

I paused to take a deep breath, and to gauge whether or not Daryl was bored by my story. His blue eyes stared at me intently as he held his drink in his hand.

"However, that case took a strange turn. I was the one that found him. He was definitely high from 'bath salts', which only added to his rage and adrenaline. It seems like synthetic drugs are worse than the real ones. He attacked me, physically at first, and I fought back the best I could. He was a big, strong guy, but the effects of drugs added even more adrenaline. I was able to get away from him, and I found cover just in time since he started shooting at me. That was actually the first time someone actually pulled the trigger after drawing a weapon on me. So, I did what I had to do to protect myself. I shot him, and, even when a regular person shoots in self-defense, I shot to kill."

"Sounds like ya did what ya had to do," Daryl finally commented, although I could tell he knew there was more to the story.

"I did, and most people would agree. However, that wasn't what set me off and whatnot. Most of the small town, especially the man's family, was pissed off at me. They knew about the whole drug issue, and they knew it all along. They would not listen to logic and reasoning. It was more than just their emotions running rampant. Almost the whole damn town had a sense of "good ole boy" logic and politics. Honestly, I think some of the local cops were in on it. Due to that close connection and watching out for only themselves, the people there couldn't realize, or didn't want to see, how bad it was to look out for one another over drugs. Some of the people I pissed off weren't even doing drugs! They would try to defend him, said he was trying to get clean and all that crap. That was absolute bull shit they were feeding themselves.

"I just couldn't believe they, with what they knew, thought I was the bad person. To them, I was worse than the druggie who murdered another man. Threats were made, and I left the small town before someone was stupid or high enough to carry them through. However, I still worked in some of the neighboring towns. Shortly after, I was offered the job in Georgia. I left that town and the whole state behind."

I shot back the rest of my whiskey. I could feel the tendrils of the anger I felt after that case flow through my veins. I wasn't sure what Daryl would think of my reactions after that case. Some would say they would have done the same thing while others would not.

"So," Daryl started, after he gave me a moment of silence, perhaps for my benefit. "When ya saw Merle's drugs, ya were reminded of all of that."

"Partly. He also seemed like someone who could have been from that town. Wouldn't listen to reason or anything like that. I also figured you were the same as him, which was why I was a bit of an asshole. However, I found out I was wrong. Completely wrong."

"Merle could be an asshole who didn't think things through, but I don't think he would have ever taken it that far, unless it dealt with Shane. Not with you, though."

"How the people were also caused me to have the whole withdrawn idea. Not the best reason for doing so, but it seemed it would be best, especially since the world has gone to shit. However, I've learned my lesson from that already. I don't have to use my brain for every little detail. I can just be me. Although I know I won't be the one to go completely crazy like they did, I can't speak for others."

"Everyone has a reason for actin' like ya did," Daryl said with a hint of complete understanding in his voice. "Believe me, I've been a much bigger asshole."

"I've noticed," I said with a light hearted laugh. "However, you seem different without your brother here." I knew making such a comment was treading dangerous water. However, his comment was the perfect reason for it, and it would probably never happen again.

"Merle and me been through a lot. We'll just leave it at that."

I nodded. He had made comments before about his past, and I could put them together to see his family life was not picture perfect. "Alright. You can come up with another truth and lie, and I'll take my guess." I smiled slightly, and I could sense he was glad for the subject change.

"How 'bout just two other truths, and call it a night?"

"Deal."

Setting his glass down and sitting forward, Daryl Dixon shared two truths about himself. "Before all this, I worked with Merle at mechanic's shop. Although the motorcycle was his, I pretty much fixed everythin' he screwed up. Second, Merle might have been the older brother age wise, but I was usually the one takin' care of his ass. I miss the dumb bastard, but it's kinda nice to sorta have a break."

"Sounds like you're a good brother, and Merle was lucky to have you," I commented. "You deserve the break, although it would have been better under different circumstances."

He nodded as he took a swig from the whiskey bottle. "'Least someone thinks so."

Daryl stood up, and started walking to the door. I followed behind, and leaned my shoulder against the doorway as he stepped into the hall. "Although I was reluctant to share that story with pretty much anyone, it feels good to have that off my shoulders," I told him. "It may seem small, but thank you, for bugging me to explain, and for listening. You're a good friend for doing that. I'm glad I changed my tune about everything."

For the second time that night, I noticed his cerulean eyes analyzing me. I never paid much attention to his features until I started talking to him more, especially his eyes. They were a cerulean shade of blue, but seemed to be slightly faded. Faded from everything he had witnessed, now and before the outbreak.

"It was nothin'" he answered in his gruff tone, which, this time, was a bit lighter. "Night, Elise."

"Goodnight, Daryl."

I gently closed my door for the night. As I turned the couch into a makeshift bed, my mind was entranced by the mystery that was Daryl Dixon.

**The two are slowly getting closer. :) Since they're slowly growing closer, I decided it was time they actually notice features, especially Daryl's blue eyes. Feedback is greatly appreciated. :)**


	14. Chapter 14

**Thanks to Jenner and the CDC, Elise gets to feel like a forensic investigator again! Well, that started in the previous chapter, anyway.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything pertaining to The Walking Dead.**

For the first time since the outbreak, I had a complete restful night's sleep. I even believed it was a full seven hours. I didn't have to worry if a walker was shuffling his way to make me his midnight snack. The couch felt a like a plush mattress, and the soft, fleece blanket comfortably draped over me. Although I was awake, I didn't want to get up. In a way, I was afraid that if I walked out the door, I would enter the insane world that was above ground.

However, I knew the others would be gathering around the table for breakfast. Before joining them, I decided to take another quick shower. I knew I couldn't be the only one with that idea. Might as well enjoy it while it was here.

**Daryl's POV**

I figured I was up 'fore everyone else, so I decided to wait until I heard people movin' around outside the door before joinin' 'em. While waitin,' I worked on cleanin' up my crossbow. Some of Merle's buddies used to joke around 'bout how I always used it for huntin,' but it's been more than helpful with all the damn walkers around. Guess I was the one with the last laugh now.

As I worked on the weapon, I thought 'bout hangin' out with Elise last night. I honestly hadn't planned on talkin' with her, and she seemed surprised when I offered to bring her a drink by, and then talked with her a while. I felt awkward as she began to tell me what happened in Tennessee, but I slowly became more comfortable with her. Definitely not used to sharin' or hearin' such info from people, especially a woman. A highly educated woman who actually wasn't an asshole.

It was pretty clear she thought I was some dumbass when we first met at the quarry. However, I guess I proved her wrong, 'specially after what she said last night.

_"You're obviously very observant, despite that I thought otherwise earlier on."_

I wasn't used to people apologizin' to me, and I definitely wasn't used to people explainin' why. Hell, there was a lot of things I wasn't used to when bein' 'round Elise.

_"Sounds like you're a good brother, and Merle was lucky to have you," She said to me. I glanced at her from the corner of my eye. Her lips were turned up in a genuine, sincere smile. "You deserve the break, although it would have been better under different circumstances."_

I never thought of myself as bein' a good brother. I was more along the lines of the one keepin' Merle from doin' somethin' too damn stupid. Once Merle was gone, I started to lighten up around most of the others, 'specially Elise. If Merle was here, he'd yell at me to stop bein' a pansy ass. However, I liked the sound of havin' a break, even though the world sucks, and Merle was who knows where.

_"It may seem small, but thank you, for bugging me to explain, and for listening. You're a good friend for doing that. I'm glad I changed my tune about everything."_

A "good friend." That didn't bug me as much as it would have if Merle was here. He'd just have some smartass comment, and then tell me I was the only good friend he had. Then again, since he seemed alright with Elise, maybe he'd shut up 'bout it, 'least around her.

Yeah, I definitely liked the sound of a break.

**Elise's POV**

After dressing in boot cut jeans, white tank top with a pink, blue, and white light flannel shirt, and cowgirl boots, I made my way to the kitchen. I tried snapping my rolled up sleeves into place, but I was having difficulties. I hoped it wasn't a sign of how the rest of the day would be. Upon entering the kitchen, the savory aroma of eggs and crunchy bacon teased my nose. T-Dog was the one in charge of breakfast this morning.

"T, it almost smells like the Cracker Barrel in here," I joked as I took a plate of food from him.

He laughed as he resumed cooking. "Not quite. The eggs are powdered, but I do 'em good."

I sat between Glenn and Andrea. Andrea was still fairly silent as she ate her breakfast. I knew it still wasn't quite the polite time to talk to her, so I opted for humor. Unfortunately, Glenn was my target.

The side of Glenn's face was flat against the smooth table, and his hat was shielding his eyes from the light. "How are you this morning, Glenn?" I asked while taking a bite of my eggs.

Glenn groaned as he sluggishly lifted his head to face me. His eyes were practically clamped shut in order to avoid the intrusive light. "Don't ever, ever, ever let me drink again."

"You can't be feeling that bad," I commented. "I went to a party college, and I saw guys drink way more than you, and somehow make it to exams the next day. Their grades probably sucked, but at least they made it to class."

He groaned again. "Not funny, Elise. I feel like I've been ran over by a dump truck. Probably look like it, too."

I shook my head as I waved a piece of crispy bacon in front of him, only to earn a harsh glare from him. "Nah. You'd be in worse shape if you were ran over. Trust me."

A small laugh escaped from Andrea, and Glenn jokingly commented that he despised us both. Daryl arrived, and he was eating his food while leaning against the granite counter. I caught his gaze, and smiled as a good morning acknowledgment. He nodded in response before the last person to arrive caught his attention: Shane.

Someone asked Shane what happened to him, and that was when I noticed the vertical scratch marks travelling down his neck. I took a drink of my juice as I studied the marks.

"I must have done it in my sleep," he responded, and I noticed him glance at Lori.

I switched my gaze to Lori as she uncomfortably pushed around the eggs on her plate.

"Never seen you do that before," Rick commented. He didn't notice Lori's sudden quiet behavior.

"Me neither," Shane answered as he finally sat down. "Not like me at all."

From what I observed when we were at the quarry, Shane kept his nails trimmed, and would not allow the free edge to grow even a centimeter. He probably thought the slightest nail length would affect his appearance as the alpha male. So, there was no way he could have left marks like that in his sleep. However, Lori's nails were a decent length. If she would let them grow out more, perhaps she could use her nails as weapons against walkers. Due to her nails and her bumbling behavior, she had to be the one to slash Shane's neck. I wondered how much alcohol was involved in whatever happened last night. Then again, I didn't think it was a factor with Lori and Shane, especially with their history before Rick arrived.

* * *

I didn't have to use interrogation in order to force Jenner to inform all of us about the outbreak. Dale and Andrea did that for me. After breakfast, Jenner led us back to Zone Five for a presentation. I took a seat at one of the long tables, and rested my chin on top of my hands. I was interested to see what Jenner had to share, but a part of me didn't want to know. I wasn't sure if I wanted to know what may have happened to Jones, Amy, and Jim on the scientific level.

With the help of Vi, Jenner provided MRI and computer footage of a person, and the brain. The computer information detailed heart rate, blood pressure, and other vital medical data. At Jenner's command, Vi zoomed in on the brain. After someone inquired about the "lights" flashing like Christmas lights across the brain, Jenner seemed to drift away a bit as he answered. "It's a person's life, experiences, memories. It's everything. Somewhere in all that organic wiring, all those ripples of light, is you: the thing that makes you unique. And human."

His poetic explanation of synapses was not answering the question, especially as they pertain to the outbreak. I was about to speak up, but Daryl beat me to it. "Do you ever make any sense?"

"Not if he's wanting to avoid more questions," I mumbled. Daryl, who was standing off to the side in front of me, heard me.

Jenner sighed as he correctly answered this time. "Those are synapses, electric impulses in the brain that carry all the messages. They determine everything a person says, does, or think from the moment of birth to the moment of death."

His mention of death led to more questioning, which Jenner probably wanted to avoid. Apparently, the person on the screen was Test Subject 19. Nineteen?

"Someone who was bitten and infected," Jenner continued, "and volunteered to have us record the process. Vi, scan forward to the first event."

I leaned forward as Vi did as she was instructed. Why was Jenner showing us the nineteenth subject? What happened to the first eighteen?

"It invades the brain like meningitis. The adrenal glands hemorrhage, the brain goes into shutdown, then the major organs. Then death. Everything you ever were or ever will be. . . gone."

The images of the person began to move viciously, a last attempt by the body to do something in order to remain alive. With the brain and organs completely shutting down, nothing could be done for the person. Abruptly, the person stopped moving, and all the vital information was a flat line. Most of the time, scientists were supposed to be emotional distant from their work. I understood how the outbreak would spark emotions into such experiments, but the way Jenner was speaking irked me. He had to have known the person who was on screen. Probably a coworker who didn't "opt out."

"Sound like a shitty way to die," Daryl commented.

"It is," I replied. "If it's just a single bite, like what happened to Jim, it's slow and painful, and not quick like some of the people I saw attacked when it first happened. I'm surprised Jim didn't speak up sooner."

When Jenner told Andrea he had lost someone as well, that strengthened my hunch about TS-19 being someone he knew.

As Vi scanned to the next part of the presentation, Jenner began to explain the resurrection. "The times vary widely. We had reports of it happening in as little as three minutes. The longest we heard of was eight hours. In the case of this patient, it was two hours, one minute, seven seconds."

I stared at Jenner as his eyes remained locked onto the large screen. He went from calling the person a test subject to the lighter connotation of patient, and he detailed the time it took for resurrection to occur to the seconds. The person was more than a coworker. The person had to be family. Slowly, TS-19's head began to move as the brain stem lit back up in a vivid shade of red. Although it was only one of the colors used by the MRI machine, it made the resurrection appear malevolent, which was fitting for the walkers.

"It restarts the brain?" Lori asked in disbelief.

I shook my head as Jenner began to clarify. "No, just the brain stem. Basically, it gets them up and moving."

Rick and Jenner had a brief debate as to whether or not the resurrected dead were alive or not. Of course, Jenner confirmed through science they were not alive. The other vital functions of the brain were still dead. No synapses flashing across the brain. Before TS-19 had the chance to seize the doctor, or Jenner, in order to satisfy the insatiable hunger, a sudden line shot through TS-19's forehead and into the brain. TS-19's arms fell to the side, and the brain stem was no longer the vile shade of crimson.

"He shot his patient in the head," Andrea stated with a light hitch in her voice. She seemed to mentally travel back to the day she had to shoot Amy. "Didn't you?"

Jenner did not answer if it was him or not. He only ordered Vi to power down the computer area. He also never stated what could have caused the outbreak.

"It could be microbial, viral, parasitic, fungal."

"Or the wrath of God?" Jacqui added.

"There is that, too."

I could tell more questioning and debating were about to occur, so I stood up to get Jenner's attention. "Dr. Jenner, you said that was Test Subject _Nineteen_. What did you look for or do with Test Subjects One through Eighteen?"

Jenner shoved his hands into his lab coat pockets, and his expression told me he was not expecting that question. "Some of them weren't complete bodies to work with, mainly limbs from bite or the new dead. However, some of them were whole bodies, for the most part anyway. Nineteen was the first one to be bitten and studied throughout the entire process. While alive, until death, and through resurrection. There were a few other subjects and samples after Nineteen, but none of them provided as much information as Nineteen."

That meant TS-19 did not cause the blazing destruction in the lab. Dammit.

After hearing that Jenner had no idea what was causing people to transform into walkers after death, Daryl stated he was going to "get shit-faced drunk again." After seeing him last night, his definition of drunk was totally different from everyone else's.

As we were about to leave, Dale asked a question which was not related to Jenner's presentation. "I know this has been taxing for you, and I hate to ask one more question, but, that clock," He pointed to a large, digital clock on the far wall. The red numbers were counting down instead of showing the current time, whatever it was. "What happens at zero?"

"The basement generators, they run out of fuel," Jenner hastily answered.

"And then?" Rick inquired.

"Vi, what happens when the power runs out?"

Why did he always have the computer speak for him?

_"When the power runs out, facility-wide decontamination will occur_."

* * *

Glenn, Shane, and Rick decided to inspect the basement generators. I followed Daryl in the hallway as we made our way back to our rooms.

"I don't like this whole 'decontamination' thing," I commented.

"No one does," he said. We both leaned against the wall outside of his room. "What would the generators have to do with that?"

The longer we were at the CDC, the more questions I had, and I hated not having the answers, or being able to figure them out. "I don't know. In the labs I've worked in, decontamination happened when someone spilled chemicals or anything like that. It also happened if someone was going through evidence and came across an unknown substance. Lots of precaution after the anthrax scares. However, decontamination dealt with the cleanup after all of that."

"Whatever it is, it's probably what he's been hidin' from us."

"Yeah, and he's probably hiding even more information." I leaned my head back against the wall and closed my eyes. "After hearing everything Jenner had to say, my original plan about being a withdrawn asshole really had its benefits."

I opened my eyes to see Daryl studying me. "Suppose so," he said, waiting for what else I had to say.

"Yeah, I can still see the perks of it, but there's no going back now."

Daryl grunted as if that was his way of saying "that's good" or "whatever." "Well, since we ain't getting' any more answers from Jenner, I wonder what we're gonna do now."

"Not sure. It would be nice to stay here, but I don't think that's going to happen. I agree that Jenner is still hiding stuff from us. I think we should probably be prepared to leave if needed. I have a gut feeling that something bad is going to happen."

"You and me both."

"Perhaps we should have our stuff ready in case we need to leave in a hurry."

"Wouldn't be a bad idea," he agreed.

As I pushed myself off of the wall to walk down to my room, the overhead lights and air conditioning unexpectedly shut off. The hall lights along the floor were the only source of light, but they were still not as bright as they originally were. It was a horrible, ironic, "speak of the devil" type of moment.

"What the hell?" Daryl asked, confused at the sudden activity. After all, there was still some time left on the Zone Five countdown.

I loathed that my gut feeling was on to something, although I was still clueless as to what. "Shit."

**I do think Daryl's definition of "drunk" is different from most. In that episode, he didn't act like the others who were clearly drunk, such as Rick and Glenn (drunk Glenn. . . lol!). Feedback is always appreciated! :) I hope everyone has a great week!**


	15. Chapter 15

**I wanted to say thank you to guest reviewer, RayC, since I can't PM guests. Thank you for your review, and I'm glad you like Elise as a character in TWD. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything pertaining to The Walking Dead.**

As soon as the air conditioning and lights went out, the group started to step out of their respective rooms, confused and curious murmurs occupied the hallway. Jenner also came walking through the hallway with a resolute step to match his expression. He knew exactly what was going on at the moment.

"Doctor," Dale inquired as we followed Jenner to Zone Five, "what happened to the power?"

Without glancing at Dale, Jenner responded in a detached tone. "Power is being prioritized. The building is shutting itself down."

Since Jenner was avoiding vital information, Daryl interrogated him in his own way. "What the hell does that mean?! Hey! I'm talkin' to you! How can a buildin' do anythin'?"

With a swift turn on his heel, Jenner made eye contact with Daryl, but his features remained vacant. "You'd be surprised."

All of us met up in Zone Five, include Rick, Shane, and Glenn, who were returning from their investigation from the basement.

"What did you all find?" I asked Glenn.

"Jenner was right," he replied. "The generators are on the last bit of fuel. All the other barrels were empty."

An alarm began to whir and buzz noisily, forcing Carl and Sophia to cover their young ears. Panic was not only about to overcome them, but all of us as well. Jenner clicked a couple of buttons, and the atrocious sound was finally muted, but the red alarm light still rotated, casting its ominous red glow across the walls.

_"Thirty minutes to decontamination,"_ Vi's technologic voice updated.

Rick commanded that everyone return to their rooms, and quickly pack up their belongings to leave. As we were all about to run into the hallway, the steel doors closed with a loud clang.

"Did he just lock us in?" Glenn asked in a panic stricken whisper. "He just locked us in!"

Almost everyone was yelling at Jenner at the same time, demanding that he opened the steel doors immediately. "There's no point," he responded as he gazed into the computer screen. "Everything topside is locked down. The emergency exits are also sealed."

"Well, open the damn things," Daryl demanded. Instead of panic, rage oozed from him as he glared at Jenner.

"That's not something I control. The computers do. I told you once that front door closed, it wouldn't open again. You heard me say that."

I could no longer keep my mouth closed. "You didn't specify what you meant by that! It sounded more like you didn't want to see the scene from hell that was right outside your protective doors! It was optional for you not to open them again because you can't face what's out there!"

I noticed Jenner tense up at my remark. It was clear he stayed safe and secure in his little doomsday nest while others survived outside.

Rick glanced at the countdown, which was now at the twenty-eight minute mark. "What happens in twenty-eight minutes?"

Jenner did not let us stoic façade fade away until Daryl yelled at him. Finally, Jenner stood up from the office chair, and forced a raging expression onto all of us. "You know what this place is?! We protected the public from very nasty stuff! Weaponized smallpox! Ebola strains that could wipe out half the country! Stuff you don't want getting out! Ever!" After his verbal rant, he took a deep breathe, and went on to explain what would happen. "In the event of a catastrophic power failure, in a terrorist attack, for example, H.I.T.s are deployed to prevent any organisms from getting out."

_Organisms?_ Being compared to germs and parasites was not a good sign.

"H.I.T.s?" Rick asked.

Jenner did not want to be the one to elaborate, so he hid being Vi's voice once again. _"H.I.T.s are High-Impulsive Thermobaric fuel-air explosives which consist of a two-stage aerosol ignition that produces a blast wave of significantly greater power and duration than any other known explosive, except nuclear. The vacuum-pressure effect ignites the oxygen between 5,000 and 6,000 degrees, and is used when the greatest loss of life and damage to structures is desired."_

As Vi pronounced each word in her clear, stoic voice, more panic from the realization of what was to occur was apparent on almost everyone's features. Carl and Sophia began to sob even more, and their mothers engulfed them in protective, and perhaps final, hugs. Andrea slid down against the desk, sitting on the floor and gazing out to nowhere. I covered my mouth with both hands, and I felt tears threaten to spill over. I looked over to Daryl. He hid his shock well, but the fierce look in his eyes illustrated shock and determination. After holding my gaze for a moment, he ran to the steel door with an axe in tow, and began to pound on it with all of his strength. Shane soon joined him.

"It sets the air on fire," Jenner said, unnecessarily translating Vi's scientific explanation. "No pain. An end to sorrow, grief, regret. Everything."

"Open the damn door!" Daryl demanded as he continued to attack the impenetrable steel.

Jenner attempted to defend his actions, and even used Amy, the little sister Andrea recently lost, as a persuasive tactic. Then, he tried to appeal to Rick by bringing Lori and Carl into his persuasive speech.

"Can't make a dent," Shane said from the doors, which currently served as a death sentence instead of an escape to freedom.

"Those doors are designed to withstand a rocket launcher," Jenner commented.

Daryl turned his rage onto Jenner. "Well, your head ain't!"

I was in a position where I could have intervened, but I couldn't focus on that. All that I could think of was that we were sealed in our own death chamber and coffin.

I snapped out of my daze as Jenner spoke directly to Rick. "Last night, you said you knew it was just a matter of time before everybody you loved was dead."

Stunned silence engulfed the room, except for Shane. Once again, I couldn't clamp my mouth shut. "Jenner, you cannot believe that was what Rick meant. It was probably the alcohol talking. He wouldn't want his family or the group to die like this."

Jenner's exhausted eyes held my gaze. "Wouldn't it be kinder, more compassionate to just hold your loved ones, and wait for the clock to run down?"

I fiercely shook my head as I held his gaze while trying to hold back my tears. "No. It is not more compassionate. What you're doing is pretty much murder. You're holding us against our will here. We don't want to 'opt out.'"

"You think dying out there is so much better? You're the forensics person. Put all the cases you've ever worked, every gory detail, together. What you'll continue to face for the days, weeks, or, by some miracle, the months to come, your cases together will greatly pale in comparison. You may call this murder, but I call it mercy."

As I was about to give him another piece of my mind, I heard the unmistakable sound of a gun being cocked. I turned to see Shane aiming his pistol at Jenner as Rick tried to hold him back. Daryl swiftly pulled me out of the possible line of fire.

"Stay out of my way!" Shane yelled. "Open that door, or I'm gonna blow your head off! Do you hear me?!"

Rick and Shane argued back and forth over the situation, and the tension only caused more alarm and tears. Daryl returned to attacking the door, hoping to find some extremely rare weak spot in it.

When I heard Rick ask Jenner why he stayed, I remembered TS-19. "TS-19," I blurted out, grasping everyone's attention. "He or she was a family member, or someone close like that. Am I right, Jenner?"

"You must have been good at your job," he replied. "She was my wife. She begged me to keep going as long as I could. How could I say no? She was dying. It should've been me on that table. I wouldn't have mattered to anybody. She was a loss to the world. Hell, she ran this place. I just worked here. In our field, she was an Einstein. Me? I'm just Edwin Jenner. She could've done something about this. Not me."

I wasn't expecting a full confession from him. "You can be the one to let us go," I calmly told him.

"Let us keep trying as long as we can," Rick added, hoping a calmer approach would finally persuade him.

"I told you, topside is locked down," Jenner stated as his hand hovered over a button. "I can't open those. With that, you're on your own." He pressed the button, and the doors retracted back into the ceiling. "There's your chance. Take it."

Some of the group dashed up the ramp and out into the hall. Jacqui told T-Dog she wanted to stay. It was her choice. Even with the chance of possible freedom, she wanted to stay. It was her terms this time, not Jenner's. Halfway up the ramp, I looked back. Andrea wasn't coming. With Jacqui, she was in the right state of mind to make such a tough decision. I didn't know her backstory, but it was apparent the decision was truly hers. On the other hand, Andrea was not in the right mental state to make this decision. What happened to Amy weighed too heavily on her mind. I was not going to let her make this decision. I ran back down the ramp to Andrea.

I tugged on her arm in order to coax her into following me. "Andrea, we have to go now. You do not want to do this. You cannot make this type of decision at the moment."

Andrea tried to keep her face composed. "I can. Jacqui made hers, and I've made mine. We're all dead anyway. I'm admitting that sooner rather than later."

Panicked adrenaline was consuming me, and it came out in a harsh tone. "Jacqui's choice is different from yours! You do not want to stay here!"

Dale was now standing beside me. Perhaps two against one would be a better tactic. However, Daryl was not going to let me find that out. I didn't even realize he stayed behind for a moment. He grabbed my wrist to pull me as he began to run. "Dammit, Elise, it's time to go!"

I looked at Dale, and he nodded as if to tell me he would handle this. As Daryl pulled me up the ramp, I heard him tell Andrea that she won.

Daryl released my wrist once we made it to the top level with the others. T-Dog and Glenn had retrieved our things. The men were trying to break the glass in whatever method popped into their minds. Bullets and chairs were useless. Some sort of bacteria held captive in one of the other labs probably couldn't penetrate the glass.

Carol suddenly ran forward to Rick. "Rick, I have something that might help."

"Carol, I don't think a nail file is gonna do it," Shane remarked. I guess he wanted his last words to make him look like a smart ass.

Carol only ignored him. "Your first morning at camp, when I washed your uniform, I found this in your pocket." She softly cradled a grenade in the palms of her hands. She also cradled our last chance of freedom.

"We gotta get back!" Daryl commanded as Rick pulled the pin on the grenade, and threw it at the glass.

We crouched down against the wall as the thundering explosion filled the room. Glass shattered from the blast, and sections of the grass outside were ablaze.

"Let's go! Let's go!" Shane called. He and Glenn were leading all of us to the line of vehicles. We were widely spaced out in a line as we ran across the grass and asphalt. The explosion revived the walkers which were sprawled out across the ground. They slowly shambled up onto their feet as their dead, glazed eyes landed on all of us. Daryl shot one of the nearby walkers with his crossbow. I saw Glenn running to my car, probably with the key already in his hand. I was in the back of the line, so I still had some distance to cover before making it to my car.

Once again, Daryl snatched my wrist, and pulled me in the direction of his blue truck. "Ya ain't got enough time to make it all the way to your car!"

He didn't have to tell me twice. I hastily pulled open the passenger door, and slammed it shut when I was seated. Seconds later, Daryl was safely behind the wheel. I stared at the CDC while it was intact.

"Please, Dale," I barely whispered, "you and Andrea make it out of there in time."

My request was granted as Dale and Andrea climbed over the shattered glass, and ran toward the caravan. However, they only had so much time. Rick was blasting the vehicle's horn, and Lori yelled for them to quickly take cover. They ducked behind a slightly tattered wall of sandbags, which was luckily clear of walkers.

"Get down!" Daryl commanded. He must have kept up with the time as well. I hunkered down against the middle seat, bracing myself as best as I could. Daryl's form covered me as well.

A deafening, deathly explosion erupted, and the powerful gusts from it rumbled against Daryl's truck. The explosion shook me to my core, and I could feel its power against my muscles and bones. However, I felt safe with Daryl as I listened to his breathing. He was trying his best to keep calm. Once the explosion died down, we both sat up, and looked at one another before looking at what was once the CDC. An intense, blazing fire engulfed the entire area. Its vivid oranges and yellows were accompanied by black, ghastly smoke. The combination of flames and smoke was almost suffocating just to stare at. Small pieces of debris rained down from the dark sky. It wouldn't surprise me if some of the debris were also remains of walkers who were nearby as the explosion initiated. Dale and Andrea quickly made their way to the RV. When Dale passed by the truck, he stared directly at me, and I nodded at him for somehow convincing Andrea to change her mind. I'll have to ask about that later.

I turned to face Daryl, who was still looking at the blazing fire. "Are you alright?" I asked him.

His gaze shifted to me, and a look of relief flooded his blue eyes. "Yeah. You?"

"Yeah. I will be."

Shane's voice came over the radio channel all the vehicles were to use for communication. "Let's get the hell out of here. Dale and Andrea are in the RV now, and Glenn knows Elise made it to Daryl's truck."

This time, I was actually able to agree with Shane about something again. "You don't mind me hitching a ride with you do you?" I asked.

"Nah," Daryl replied as he started the truck's engine. "Wouldn't let you out anyway. After that explosion, more walkers are goin' to be up movin' around, at least the ones that didn't blow up with the buildin'."

As the caravan pulled away from the CDC, I glanced back at it one last time. The towering flames dominated the entire area as the tips of the fire tickled up toward the sky. Perhaps Jenner and Jacqui were making their way up there, too.

**End of season one! Season two will be continued in this story. Before season two begins in the story, I'm going to add a segment which occurs before that. I know there wasn't much Daryl/Elise interaction, especially compared to previous chapters, but that will change in the next chapter. The lock down segment, in my opinion, was a pretty important scene in the show, so I wanted to play it out with Elise in it. However, she still doesn't know exactly how Dale "convinced" Andrea to leave. Although I PM thank you responses to reviews, I really do appreciate them, and they help me form any changes to the story I may not have noticed, or need to bring in parts I was holding off. Thank you! :)**


	16. Chapter 16

**Wow, I noticed the story has 51 followers. I was not expecting that when I first started posting. I was amazed at even having a few followers. I am so glad you all are enjoying the story. :)**

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything pertaining to The Walking Dead.**

**Daryl's POV**

For the first fifteen minutes or so after leavin' the CDC, the radios and Elise were quiet. Everyone was probably thinkin' over what all happened. No answers from the doc, and he almost killed us because he thought it would be best for us. We weren't as cowardly as him. If he hadn't let us out when he did, the axe I was usin' would've been in his head as the countdown got closer to zero.

I glanced over at Elise, and I was relieved we both made it outta there in one piece. I wasn't focused on whether or not Jacqui or Andrea changed their minds 'bout stayin' behind. All I cared 'bout then was makin' sure Elise made it outta there with me. I could tell Elise was lost in her thoughts.

"Ya know," I said as I looked back out at the road, "sometimes thinkin' too much can be a dangerous thing."

"Ain't that the truth," she replied.

"Ain't?"

She breathed out a small laugh. "I was born in Tennessee, you know." She cut off her light hearted comment for the moment. "I was just thinking there had to be places somewhere continuing their work. Not necessarily other CDCs, especially since they're ticking time bombs. Before I left to drive to the quarry, some of the coroners in the neighboring counties were trying to figure out what was going on. They may not have the fancy equipment as the CDC had, but they had the same determination."

I was surprised she was fairly positive about others figurin' out what the hell was goin' on. During the lockdown and afterward, most everyone looked like depressed teenagers, 'specially the other women and their major waterworks. No hope left at all. It was different with Elise.

"It's possible they could figure out what all this shit is, 'specially if they're as nosey as you are," I said, thinkin' back to the night she snuck around to find that lab.

She laughed a bit again, and it was a sound that wasn't bad to hear. "Being nosey can pay off from time to time."

"Yeah, but some things I probably wouldn't want to know too much about, like Jacqui stayin' behind. Personally, I thought it was kinda cowardly for her to do that, but that's just me." I knew Elise and Andrea were sorta friends, so I left Andrea out of it, although I thought the same of her, too.

I saw her slightly nod her head from the corner of my eye while she stared out the windshield. "It's not something I would do. I don't know Jacqui's background story, but she was in a better state of mind to make that choice. Andrea wasn't, after Amy's death and whatnot."

"And that's why ya stayed to convince her," I stated.

"Yeah, and Amy wouldn't have wanted that."

"How 'xactly did you plan to get her to change her mind?"

"Honestly, I hadn't thought that far ahead yet. It was one of those things you have to decide right then and there. I'll have to ask Dale what exactly he did. Now that everything has calmed down for the moment, thank you for helping me out back there. Even if whatever Dale did didn't work and he left, I probably would still be trying to convince her she was making the wrong decision. Thank you, Daryl, for all of that."

I turned to face her since we were on a straight away. A small smile grew on her lips, causing an unfamiliar feelin'. I knew she was talking about after pulling her away from that death trap, and makin' sure she was safe in my truck, which was a lot closer than her car. Instead of automatically bein' a smartass, I was serious instead. "You're welcome."

Without missin' a beat, she replied, "I guess I can take that as my compliment, then. I must not be too annoying or anything to put up with."

She wasn't anywhere near annoyin' or anythin' like that. "Nah. It wouldn't be the same without ya here."

Static came through the radio, followed by Shane's voice. "We'll drive for a while longer, and we'll find a place to camp for the night. After everything that happened, Dale thinks it may be best to call it a day early."

Huh, Shane actually followed someone else's suggestion, 'specially after everythin' with Rick and the CDC. Elise picked up the radio to answer him after everyone else did, sayin' we heard him loud and clear.

Although it was a comfortable silence, I wanted to talk with Elise more, but not 'bout everythin' that happened not long ago. With my right hand still on the steering wheel, I bit at the skin around my thumb nail, a habit I've had for years. Most of the group had shared information 'bout their families, except for me and Elise. I wasn't gonna share my family history with anyone any time soon, but no one could have been through the same hell I went through as kid, and even as an adult. I didn't get that vibe from Elise, so it shouldn't be a big deal to ask.

"So," I said, after one last nibble on my thumb, "when ya moved to Georgia, did ya have any family down here?"

She turned her attention to me, and she didn't seem offended by the question. "Nope," she answered. "All of the family I know are back in Tennessee. They weren't necessarily thrilled I was moving, but they understood. They congratulated me on the new job, talked about how proud my parents would be proud no matter what, and all that stuff."

I glanced over at her, curious about why the rest of her family would talk about her parents like that. She continued when she noticed my gaze, and she remained just as calm as she was earlier. "My parents were killed in a car crash by a drunk driver when I was in college. The drunk driver lived, and had a jail sentence." She paused for a second before continuing. "Perhaps that idiot got what he really deserved when the dead came back. Karma."

"Sorry 'bout your parents," I said, unsure of what exactly to say. It sucked when something happened to the good parents, while the abusive ones lived longer it seemed.

"Thanks. It was a long time ago, and I've healed for the most part. Of course, I still miss them. They were very good people, and I believe they could have survived this world."

"No brothers or sisters?"

She shook her head, the loose curls movin' with her. "Nope. I was the only kid."

"No offense, but ya don't act like someone who was an only child."

Instead of being offended, she laughed, louder than the times she had earlier. "Now, I thought we had a talk about stereotypes once before?"

I chuckled as I remembered what she was talkin' 'bout. "Guess that applies here, too."

**Elise's POV**

During the drive away from the CDC, it was nice to talk about things other than what happened. It was inevitable to talk about the walkers and death on a daily basis, but it couldn't be our entire focus. If so, it would probably only lead us to a quicker death. Andrea would need to avoid the inevitable topic for a while. I found myself enjoying spending time with Daryl more and more. Although I noticed he still bit or picked at his thumb often, he seemed more relaxed in my company. Of course, he was still a sarcastic, tough as nails smartass, but that was only one intriguing part of his personality. He inquired about my family, and I told him a few humorous stories. It was tempting to ask about his family since I only knew about Merle, but I knew better than to ask that now. Due to how he and his brother originally acted, it wouldn't surprise me if he had a rough life growing up. I'd witnessed a variety of similar stories during some of my past cases.

We were getting close to the interstate exit Glenn wanted us to take for the journey to Fort Benning. Once again, Shane's commanding voice came through the radio.

"Alright, I say we call it a day, and stop here. We need to take care of some things before driving on toward Fort Benning. Besides, I think we could all use a break after everything."

"I think we need a break from all of this shit," Daryl commented as he pulled over. The rest of the caravan did the same. As it had been for miles, the highway was completely deserted. The green grass surrounding both sides was beginning to show signs of needed maintenance.

Everyone silently stepped out of the vehicles, and met near Dale's Winnebago. Although Shane was the one barking out orders over the radio, Rick was clearly the leader as we gathered to hear his plan.

"Alright," he said, "Although there's downsides to an open area, it'll be a good spot for when we leave in the morning. We'll have the vehicles surrounding the RV, facing outward just in case. We'll sleep in the RV and vehicles. I know it's not the safest plan, but I think we've been through worse."

Everyone silently agreed, and Shane was the next to speak. "I think we should also ditch some of the vehicles in order to conserve fuel. As much as I hate to say it, I know my Jeep will be one of them to be left behind."

Rick chuckled. I guessed Shane was a big Jeep fan. "T-Dog, would you be able to leave your van behind, too?" Rick asked.

"Not a problem," T-Dog answered.

"I can leave the truck behind," Daryl stated. "I can ride Merle's bike."

"Thank you, Daryl," Rick said. "That will help have some of the gas guzzlers out of the way."

I noticed Andrea kept a distance from Dale. She didn't even acknowledge his presence as she moved passed him, and into the RV that he owned. Glenn caught me studying Andrea.

"Maybe she'll listen to you," he suggested. "I overheard Dale mention to T-Dog that she wasn't too happy. I'll move your car for you."

"Thanks, Glenn."

As I stepped into the RV, I spotted Andrea sitting at the kitchen table, gazing out the window. I took the seat across from her, and she shifted her attention to me. It was easy to tell she was mentally exhausted.

She was the first to speak. "I suppose you're wondering what happened back at CDC, especially since you were trying to stop me first."

"And I was thinking I'd have to be the interrogator," I replied. "However, I wasn't going to go down that route. You really had us worried back there."

"It was my choice. Something I had control over in this damn world."

Anger seethed into her words, but I remained calm. Fighting back with anger was not the right thing to do in this situation. "You were not in the right state of mind to decide that. Jacqui's head was clear, while yours was clouded by what happened to Amy. I'm not trying to piss you off or anything like that, but staying back there was not the answer. Amy would have been pissed if you even thought of such a thing while she was here."

"But she's not here, so it doesn't really matter, does it?"

"The point is still the same."

Andrea sighed in an attempt to reign in her emotions. "Despite what you believe, I can't be too mad at you."

I was confused. I expected her to be mad and upset in general, mainly because of Amy's death. She continued, "You only tried talking me out of it, and dragging me out of there. You didn't pull the same stunt that Dale did."

"Stunt, huh," I reiterated as I recalled hearing Dale mention something about Andrea winning as Daryl pulled me out of Zone Five. Dale was going to stay with her. That had to be it. To her, Dale, more or less, blackmailed her into escaping by using his life. She didn't want his blood on her hands. That would explain her frigid shoulder to Dale. I didn't want to let her know I had an excellent hunch as to what all occurred. "Well, whatever Dale said or did, I'm glad you didn't stay. You may be angry now, but I think you will be glad you made the choice to survive as some time passes."

"And what makes you say that?" She asked. She attempted to control her pissed off, sarcastic tone, but it still seeped through into her words.

I stood up to exit the RV before replying. "Because you're Amy's big sister."

* * *

The remainder of the day passed uneventfully, which was a good thing due to being in such an open area. Daryl, T-Dog, and Shane unloaded their gas guzzling vehicles, and found other vehicles to stash their supplies. Glenn and Rick siphoned gas from the truck, van, and Jeep, and used some of it to top off the remaining vehicles. Daryl carefully unloaded his brother's bike, and inspected it to make sure it would be ready in the morning. Curiosity got the best of me, and I walked over to check the bike out, along with delivering a message to Daryl.

Daryl saw me approaching, and stood to his feet as he wiped some of the dirt from the bike onto his worn jeans. "Did ya get your 'rice burner' topped off?"

"Ha, ha," I sarcastically replied. "And, yes, I did. If you want, you can stow the rest of your stuff in the trunk of the 'ricer burner.' Just remember that Toyotas get excellent gas mileage."

He nodded as a smirk graced his lips. "That's true. 'Least ya don't drive a Prius."

I laughed in agreement as I walked closer to the bike. "However, my car doesn't get as good gas mileage as a motorcycle."

"Damn right. So, you were eventually gonna get one?"

I nodded as he recalled the dinner time game back at the CDC. I studied his, well Merle's, bike. Although I didn't know anything about the internal workings of a motorcycle, I did know the bike was an older Triumph, which had obviously been heavily customized by Merle. It had gone from stock to an older style chopper, which was popular among biker gangs years ago. However, it was nothing like the choppers from Orange County Choppers or anything like that. This bike had a more sinister appeal to it. It was more for Hell's Angels instead of the _American Chopper_ reality show.

"Yeah, I had been looking into getting one for quite a while," I said as I examined the high handlebars. "However, one with standard handlebars so I would still have feeling in my arms." He gave out a humorous grunt at my remark. "I was debating between a Honda Shadow, or a duel sport bike. However, work took up most of my time."

"That sucks. Ya really missed out then. Maybe someday ya can take this one for a spin."

I glanced down at the bike, and I was slightly intimidated by it. Daryl caught my intimidated glance, and chuckled. "I think I may stick with Honda."

"Well, guess you'll have to take back seat, then."

I was somewhat stunned by his offer. "I may have to take you up on that," I responded with a kind smile.

* * *

The sun had set, and a muted night took the place of a bright day. As the group began to turn in for the night in the various vehicular camps, Rick and I were atop the RV for the first watch. After random small talk, Rick eventually brought up an issue that was not addressed back at the CDC.

"I heard Shane mention Jones," he said as he gazed out over the highway. He didn't need to say anymore since I already knew what he was asking.

"Yeah. I met him right as the outbreak started. The crime scene we were at involved a walker, though we didn't know that at the time." Images of Jenner's presentation flashed through my mind. TS-19, or Mrs. Edwin Jenner, coming back to life, grasping for the nearest person, until a bullet penetrated her brain, killing her once again. It took many shots before the victim was killed, but I had no idea about Jones. I didn't know if he escaped this world, or was mindlessly shuffling through it.

"He was a good man," Rick said, bringing me back to the present time.

"He seemed like it," I responded. "The people I had the chance to work with all seemed like good, dedicated people, especially the coroners."

Rick stared at me with a slightly puzzled expression. Usually, other people in criminal justice fields believed the coroners had the worst jobs. "They tried to figure out what all was going on."

Rick shifted his gaze back over the highway. He appeared to be somewhere in the past, but I wasn't sure how far back into the past. Before I could ask if he was alright, he spoke up.

"Did you hear anything from them? About if they found out anything?" He asked without glancing at me. His eyes remained distant as he rubbed his hands together.

His sudden question confused me even more. I scrunched my brows as I answered. "No. I never had the chance to talk to them. Why?"

He still refused to look me in the eye. "Just wondering."

Now, I was wondering what was going through his mind.

**I always worry about keeping Daryl in character, and I had the character worry while writing the part with Andrea. Of course, she's pissed at Dale, but I don't think she would be too ticked off with Elise. Andrea is usually portrayed in a negative light, but I want to do something different. I have read good stories which keep her in the negative light, so don't get me wrong or anything like that. I just think she had the potential to be a good character, but she made some horrible choices. I believe we all know what Rick was thinking about courtesy of Jenner. As always, reviews are appreciated. :)**


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